Rabin Square
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rabin Square (Hebrew: Kikar Rabin, כיכר רבין, or a longer name - Kikar Yitzhak Rabin, כיכר יצחק רבין), formerly known as Kikar Malkhei Israel (Israel Kings' Square), now named after the late assassinated Prime Minister of Israel Yitzhak Rabin, is a large square in the center of Tel Aviv.
Surrounded by the City Hall Building to the north, (designed by the architect Menachem Cohen), Ibn Gabirol street to the east, Frischman Street to the south and Chen Boulevard to the west, it was designed alongside to the City Hall in 1964 by the architects Yaski and Alexandroni.
It is the largest open public square in the city, and is typically used for large rallies, demonstrations, open-air art exhibitions, independence-day celebrations and similar public celebrations. Until the early 1990s, it also served as a public exhibition ground for IDF field units (mostly tanks and heavy artillery), during the day of independence.
The square is known for holding many political rallies, among them the peace rally on 1995-04-11, at the conclusion of which the Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, was assassinated. On the days following the event, thousands of Israelis gathered on the site to commemorate Rabin; the young people who came to mourn Rabin were dubbed "The Candles Youth" (Hebrew: נוער הנרות, noar hanerot) after the many Yahrzeit candles they lit. Some of the graffiti they drew upon the nearby walls was preserved.
Today, after having its name changed in memory of Rabin, a memorial can be found on the site where Rabin was assassinated. (On the northeast corner of the square, below the City Hall). Among that is a small, open legacy wall for the man.
Near the north end of the square, is a memorial sculpture designed by the Israeli artist Yigal Tumarkin commemorating the Holocaust.
In recent years much criticism has been heard about the Square's appearance, and especially about the City Hall Building. What was considered in the 1960s to be one of the city's biggest and most impressive architectural designs, is considered by most today to be one of the city's worst eyesores. Some plans have been made (most of which have even been approved) to renovate the whole square and the City Hall Building. The Plans include renovating the City Hall Building and giving it a more modern look to fit in with the many new modern sky-scrapers in Tel Aviv, and to build a big underground parking complex underneath the square - a much needed addition to the neighborhood which suffers from a dire lack of parking spots. Some opposition has been heard to the renovation plans, claiming that the design of the square and City Hall Building is part of Tel Aviv's history and should be preserved. This opposition has delayed the beginning of the renovation works.
