Boutique Hotel in Old Acre אדריכלות ישראלית Architecture of Israel #132 February 2023 | | 68 As an old port city, Acre is one of the most important organic cities in the world. Very much like the history of the country, the history of the city from the Canaanite period is traced through events in the Bible, the Hellenistic period, the Arab occupation and on through the Crusader conquests, with the Jewish community surviving and developing in relatively prosperous conditions. Prominent on this timeline were the Mamluk period and the following Ottoman reign that was established on its ruins. As a result, most of the buildings currently seen above ground were built during the Ottoman period, while every in-depth below-ground excavation uncovers valuable Crusader remains. It was during this period that Hebrew settlement flourished and developed around the "Knesset Israel" Yeshiva, in the previous location of the Ramchal Synagogue. As one of the mixed-population cities that have proven to be problematic during security crises, Acre evokes concerns, both among entrepreneurs, who prefer to focus on the new parts of the city, and for visitors who come to experience the authentic atmosphere of the attractions of the Old City. places worth visiting boutique hotels in old acre Natalie Mann One of the entrepreneurs who recently discovered the latent tourist potential in the Old City is Michal Matalon, who established a boutique hotel as an entrepreneur/designer, by renovating a number of buildings in the old quarter alleys near the Bahai Center. "The riots which took place in the city during the events of May 2021 broke my heart, both emotionally and financially. It was a very difficult experience when one of our units was completely torched, both as a designer (each project is like a birth) and as an entrepreneur. Although the State compensated us, there is no doubt that the fragile texture of Jewish-Arab relationships was cracked. Up until 1948 Acre was mainly inhabited by Palestinians who had been deported or fled during the War of Independence. The city underwent dramatic rehabilitation processes with the help of Jewish immigrants, which also caused economicclass gaps. Over the past decade there has been a change in the city, with the old city's authentic attraction bringing Jewish and Palestinian tourism entrepreneurs who have understood the tourist potential inherent in it. Many residents sold their property for a good price, while others saw the process as an attempt to take over their city. One way or another, housing and living prices have risen significantly, and the social texture of the place has changed due to parking problems, commercial and tourist activity, and noise. As a result, the local community has dropped in numbers with crime flourishing amongst the remaining Palestinian population in ancient Acre. This socio-economic situation also provides architects with a social role, to encourage the continued urban development with local entrepreneurship and to neutralize local resistance while developing an authentic local tourism that benefits them and allows them to remain as a community in the evolving area, as well as, perhaps, to prevent the next round of riots. I grew up in Haifa. I always dreamed of being an architect, however when I arrived at the Technion, already accepted into the Faculty of Architecture, my dad - a mechanical engineer, feared that his daughter would not be able to make a living from this "unclear profession" and suggested that I talk to a family friend, an architect who said it was a hard profession and told me about many customers who are sure they are buying you and your time when they hire your services as an architect. I was a 22-year-old young woman at the time, and listening to my father, made a quick application to the Technion Industrial and Management Faculty, and after graduation, worked in high-tech for about 10 years. I realized, that although I enjoyed it and managed to make a living, I didn't feed my design aspirations, and I decided it was time to fulfill my dream. It was clear to me that I was not going back to the Technion to look for degrees and certificates and I found an alternative, a studio in Tel Aviv that teaches architecture and design, where I studied for two years,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgzNzA=