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Jerusalem Hotels: Landmarks of Jerusalem History
By M. Miller
Jerusalem hotels can be more than just a place to stay during a Jerusalem vacation. Many hotels here are actually historical landmarks in their own right. Here’s a tour of just three Jerusalem hotels that shaped the city’s history. The King David Hotel is an imposing structure overlooking the walls of the Old City. It is the hotel of choice for visiting heads of states, celebrities and those desiring the ultimate in luxury. Inlaid across the floor of the imposing lobby are the signatures of famous guests – a veritable who’s who of 20th century world history. More than a fancy place to hang your hat, the King David made Jerusalem history in 1929 as the first hotel in town to have hot running water – a true luxury! A few years later, it became home to the Greek government in exile. When the Nazis overran Greece, its King and government sought refuge at the King David. After World War II, it was taken over as headquarters for the British administration and military. The hotel was famously bombed in 1946 by the Etzel group. In addition to a display of photographs documenting the hotel’s history (from which the bombing is conspicuously absent) the lobby also boasts the table upon which was signed the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan. Another hotel associated with the War of Independence is the old Palace Hotel, which is being rebuilt as the future Palace-Waldorf Astoria. The hotel was commissioned by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin Husseini, a great friend of Hitler’s. The contract stipulated that mostly Arab workers should be hired and that the hotel be finished within 13 months. The tender for the hotel, however, was awarded to two Jewish architects. Amazingly, the hotel was completed ahead of schedule. More amazing still is that despite the mostly Arab workforce, and daily visits by the Mufti himself, the two Jewish architects – Tuvia Donna and Baruch Katinka – were able to build two weapons caches in the walls of the hotel. The British forbade Jews to carry weapons of any kind and so the Jewish forces had to resort to hiding their stockpiles of weapons for the coming War of Independence. The hotel meeting rooms were frequently used by the Arabs to plan attacks against the Jews, as well as by the British Peel Commission. If the Jews seemed surprisingly well informed of plots against them, it’s because in addition to the weapons caches, Katinka planted concealed microphones in the hotel’s electrical wiring. It will be a while before you can enjoy staying there, however, since the hotel is not slated to reopen until 2011. In the meantime, you can enjoy the quiet pampering of the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem. This was once a commune of American and Swedish Christians. The commune’s members included two of the earliest professional photographers in Jerusalem, to whom we owe many of the turn of the century images of the city. Other members helped install the first phone lines in Jerusalem. And it was a white bed sheet borrowed from the American Colony that the Turks used to surrender to the British, thus ending 300 years of Ottoman rule. History is still being made here, since it is a favorite haunt of diplomats and journalists. For more on the fascinating history of Jerusalem hotels like these, or to find the best deals on discount hotels in Jerusalem, visit the Insider’s Guide to Jerusalem Hotels and Accommodations.
M. Miller is a novelist, travel writer and the editor of the Jerusalem Insider's Guide.
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Oh, I sooooo much want to visit the Holy Land --including Jerusalem.
A well researched and well written intel, Mitzi.
Thank you for sharing this piece of history.
Keep up the good work.
Best wishes.
Frederick
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This intel was contributed by mitzi
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February, 2012
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