Jerusalem YMCA

One of Jerusalem's most beautiful buildings, designed by the same architect who designed the Empire State Building (Arthur Loomis Harmon) and opened in 1933. The building blends Byzantine, Romanesque, and Near Eastern influences into a harmonious stone pile crowned by a bell tower that serves as one of West Jerusalem's landmarks. The tower is open to visitors and offers good views over the city.

The YMCA sits directly opposite the King David Hotel on King David Street and houses a swimming pool, gym, concert hall, and a café that are open to the public. The building predates the State of Israel and was designed specifically as a meeting point for people of all faiths and backgrounds — its inscription in Hebrew, Arabic, and English above the entrance still reads "Spirit, Mind, and Body." The concert hall hosts regular classical music performances.

things to do sight architecture
A story
When the Jerusalem YMCA opened in 1933, it was described by its architect as a place where "a man of any race, religion or station in life can come and find brotherhood." The architect, Arthur Loomis Harmon, had just finished designing the Empire State Building. King Abdullah of Jordan and David Ben-Gurion, future founder of Israel, both attended the opening ceremony — an act of shared humanity that feels remarkable in retrospect.