Yarkon Park

History

In 1925, the municipality of Tel Aviv invited urban planner Patrick Geddes to prepare an expansion of the city towards the Yarkon, which was considered the city's natural border. Palestinian Arab and Jewish farmers grew vegetables and maintained orchards on the banks of the river, and Geddes suggested a park should be established on the Yarkon's southern bank. Planting of trees began in the early 1940s, starting on the river's southern bank and expanding eastward with the city, though at that time, without a comprehensive plan. This was implemented for the benefit of the city's inhabitants, predominantly Olim from Europe who were unaccustomed to the region's climate, and with the goal of establishing Jewish ownership, European imagery, and a callback to a biblical landscape likely more verdant than that of the region in the 20th century.

1948 brought about unprecedented change to the region. The mass displacement of Palestinians, along with urban overcrowding caused by the arrival of one million Jews from Europe and the Middle East presented Prime Minister Ben Gurion with an opportunity to establish new parks. In 1950, the government of Israel established 175 hectares on the northern bank of the Yarkon, for the purpose of establishing a park, and a planting project then began on the Yarkon's northern bank. This northern area had been within the village lands of Al-Shaykh Muwannis; today the park also covers parts of the village lands of Jarisha, Al-Mas'udiyya and Al-Jammasin al-Gharbi.

In 1959, the Mapai (Labor Party) came into power in Tel Aviv. They were already in power on the national level. This union of local and national government allowed the inception of various large scale projects in Tel-Aviv. In 1961, damage to the Yarkon's banks lead the municipality to initiate development of a comprehensive plan for Yarkon Park. When it was opened to the public in 1973, it was called Ganei Yehoshua, honoring Yehoshua Rabinovich, the mayor of Tel Aviv between 1969 and 1974.

Landmarks

The Seven Mills section of the park contains the remnants of Jarisha/Jarisha Mills, a Palestinian village that was depopulated in the lead up to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Tel Gerisa is an archaeological site in the park, that has been identified by Benjamin Mazar and Yohanan Aharoni with the biblical Gath Rimmon. The landmark preserves the name of the historically nearby Palestinian Arab village of Jarisha, after which the Tel was named.

The Rock Garden, one of the largest of its kind in the world, reflects Israel's geological diversity. In its 4-hectare enclosure, the rocks are interspersed with some 3,500 species of plants, including over 2.4 hectares of cacti. The 2-hectare Tropical Garden has a wooden walkway shaded by palm trees, leading to a small lake. The rainforest-like microclimate supports a large variety of orchids and vines.

Yarkon River runs through the park and reaches the Mediterranean Sea at the park's western edge, then connects into the Tel Aviv Port, an entertainment and tourism center. Despite clean-up efforts in the last few years, the river is still polluted. Despite its polluted waters, in July 2011 Tel Aviv's mayor, Ron Huldai, jumped into the water and swam in the lake. Nevertheless, the region has retained its biodiversity. It is home to an abundance of insects, water fowl, golden jackals, porcupines and mongoose.

The park has six gardens: Gan HaBanim (Fallen Soldiers Memorial Garden), Gan Nifga'ei HaTeror (Terror Victims Memorial Garden), Gan HaSlaim (Rock Garden), Gan HaKaktusim (Cacti Garden), HaGan HaGazum (Trimmed Garden), and HaGan HaTropi (Tropical Garden).[[File:Yarkon Park Aerial 01.jpg|thumb|center|652x652px|Yarkon Park from Kiryat Atidim to the Mediterranean Sea]] File:Ha Banim Garden, Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv, Israel.jpg|HaBanim Garden, Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv, Israel File:Yarkon River in the Winter.jpg|Yarkon River, Tel Aviv File:Lake of Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv.jpg|Lake of Yarkon Park File:Hayarkon IMG 8516.JPG|Yarkon River File:Hayarkon IMG 2644.JPG|Hayarkon File:Yarkon park wide view.jpg|Yarkon park wide view File:PikiWiki Israel 15306 Tel-Aviv - Yarkon park.jpg|PikiWiki Israel 15306 Tel-Aviv - Yarkon park File:Yarkon Park Seminar Group Photo.JPG|Yarkon Park Seminar Group Photo File:אגם פארק הירקון.jpg|Lake of Yarkon River File:PikiWiki Israel 4089 Hayarkon River.jpg|Hayarkon River File:PikiWiki Israel 4093 Hayarkon River.jpg|Hayarkon River File:90851 yarkon park on saturday morning PikiWiki Israel.jpg|Yarkon Park on saturday morning File:PikiWiki Israel 84594 yarkon park.jpg|Israel country flag in Yarkon Park File:PikiWiki Israel 53352 the cactus garden at ganei yehoshua park.jpg|Cactus Garden at Yarkon Park File:PikiWiki Israel 15702 Bridge over Yarkon river Tel Aviv.JPG|Bridge over Yarkon river Tel Aviv File:Ifatke park hayarkon.jpg|Special Sunset in Yarkon Park, Tel Aviv

Music events

Many popular musical acts have played the park, including Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Madonna, David Bowie, Carlos Santana, Dire Straits, Bon Jovi, Elton John, Aerosmith, Metallica, U2, Depeche Mode, Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ugly Kid Joe, Linkin Park, Ozzy Osbourne, Joe Cocker, Morrissey, Eurythmics, Westlife, Five, Justin Timberlake, Robbie Williams, Rihanna, Sia, OneRepublic, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Rod Stewart, Queen + Adam Lambert, Noa Kirel, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez.

American singer Britney Spears performed in the park on July 3, 2017, as part of her Britney: Live in Concert. It was attended by a crowd of 60,000 people. Due to the concert, the Israeli Labor Party delayed their election for a new chairperson by a day. It was originally scheduled for July 3, the same day as Spears's concert, but party officials feared traffic jams and that party members would choose the concert over finding a polling station.

Michael Jackson performed there, on September 19/21, 1993 during his Dangerous World Tour attended by a crowd of 70,000 people in the first show and 100,000 people in the second show.

Italian opera house La Scala performed a free outdoor concert of Verdi's Requiem in the park as a part of Tel Aviv's 100th anniversary celebrations, attracting about 100,000 people.

American singer Jennifer Lopez performed in the park as part of her It's My Party (tour) on August 1, 2019. It was attended by a crowd of 57,000 people.

Concerts

Sports

Yarkon Park contains several sporting facilities, numerous bike paths, and rowers use the Yarkon River which flows through the park.

Sportek Tel Aviv

A multi-sport centre, Sportek Tel Aviv, is located in the park, and facilitates various sports such as rock climbing, soccer, and Australian rules football. The facilities include a full size rugby union pitch, which is the home grounds of ASA Tel Aviv and Tel Aviv Ibex.

References

References

1. [https://web.archive.org/web/20041224100907/http://www.tel-aviv-insider.com/park-hayarkon.php Park Hayarkon – the Central Park of Tel Aviv]
2. (2020-01-02). "Modern park for a modern city: planning Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park during the 1960s-1970s". Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes.
3. (2015). "Erased from Space and Consciousness: Israel and the Depopulated Palestinian Villages of 1948". Indiana University Press.
4. Meishar, Naama. (2017). "Up/Rooting: Breaching Landscape Architecture in the Jewish-Arab City". Project Muse.
5. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131231000327/http://www.jewishindependent.ca/archives/Dec04/archives04Dec24-05.html Changing pollution into paradise]
6. "The Seven Mills Site on the Uja - the Yarkon - River Banks".
7. "טיול בזמן אל טחנת הקמח המשוחזרת בפארק הירקון בתל אביב". הארץ.
8. Khalidi, Walid. (1992). "All that Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel in 1948". Institute for Palestine Studies.
9. (2001). "Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land". Continuum.
10. Eero Junkkaala. (2003). "Three Conquests Of Canaan". Abo Akademi University Press.
11. (10 August 2010). "At Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park, they're sweating the small stuff".
12. (9 July 2023). "Watch Britney Spears Performing In Tel Aviv for 60K Crowd".
13. (5 April 2017). "Oops! Britney Spears gig forces Israeli Labour party to delay leadership contest". [[The Guardian]].
14. (20 March 2015). "Behind the Headlines: Michael Jackson Visit to Israel Was Taste of Normalcy for Teens".
15. (17 July 2009). "Opera Celebrates Tel Aviv's centennial". Entertainment News.
16. (20 March 2015). "Behind the Headlines: Michael Jackson Visit to Israel Was Taste of Normalcy for Teens".
17. Macintyre, Donald. (25 September 2008). "First Night: Sir Paul McCartney, Hayarkon Park, Tel Aviv".
18. (3 May 2017). "Justin Bieber: Very excited to visit Israel for the second time".
19. Steinberg, Jessica. "Red Hot Chili Peppers give it away to 50,000 at Tel Aviv show".
20. "40,000 Israelis let pop star Robbie Williams entertain them".
21. Friedman, Ami. (13 August 2016). "Is One Republic returning to Israel?". Ynetnews.
22. "Empathetic Jon Bon Jovi dedicates song 'We Don't Run' to Israelfirst=The Time of Israel".
23. Bier-Katz, Yael. (12 September 2016). "Queen rocks it out in Tel Aviv". Ynetnews.
24. Pitchon, Avi. "Sia's Electronic Rain Beautifully Pierces Tel Aviv's Humidity". Haaretz.
25. "Top 100 Worldwide Concert Grosses".
26. (16 May 2017). "Steven Tyler tours Israel ahead of farewell tour in TLV".
27. Shechnik, Raz. (15 June 2017). "Rod Stewart duets with Israeli singer Rita in Tel Aviv concert". Ynetnews.
28. Apaza, Kevin. "Massive: Britney Spears Performs For 60K Crowd In Tel Aviv, Israel".
29. "Britney Spears performs for 55,000 fans in Israel".
30. (August 11, 2019). "J-Lo celebrates 50 with an adoring, dancing crowd in Tel Aviv".
31. (September 21, 2023). "Noa Kirel wows 60,000 in Yarkon Park, hosts Cyprus Eurovision representative".