By WENDY BLUMFIELDA train descends from the tunnel(photo credit: CARMELIT)
Getting around hilly Haifa, visiting its attractions, a 10-minute ride on Israel’s only underground railway, the Carmelit, will transport a passenger from Gan Ha’em at Central Carmel down to Paris Square, the downtown terminal.The Carmelit began running in 1959, the brainchild of the mayor of Haifa, Abba Khoushy, with funding and construction by a French company.Avishai Hadar, director of the Carmelit since 1998, explained: “It was designed for the Haifa of that time, linking the three main centers of the city. The Central Carmel at the peak of the mountain was a green retreat from the city; the Hadar was the center for shopping and leisure; and downtown, Paris Square was the hub for the port, customs and commerce. Between 1959 and 1986, 20,000 passengers used the Carmelit daily.”Panoramic view near the Gan Ha’em station (photo credit: WENDY BLUMFIELD)Today, as housing on the Carmel has developed and the shopping malls have taken shopping and entertainment away from the Hadar, the Carmelit is less central to the transport needs of the city.Faced with the challenge of the changing needs of the city, Hadar explains that the municipality has plans to link the Carmelit with other transport systems to make it more user-friendly for those living or working some distance from the stations.“The Metronit [express bus] already links Paris Square with the main railway and bus stations as well as Haifa’s bayside suburbs. We are also planning to provide combined tickets so that travelers could use all the transport systems with one price covering 90 minutes.”The original construction aged fast, and there was a massive renovation in 1986 using a Swiss construction company and costing $30 million. The system reopened in 1992 with cleaner and smarter stations and a smoother and safer ride.“It is entirely controlled by computer,” says Hadar of the system, which runs from 6 a.m. to midnight, daily, except Shabbat. “Theoretically, it could be driverless, but we do employ drivers for supervision and security.”Each of the two trains has only two cars and, today, even at peak times, is not oversubscribed, with an average of 2,500 passengers daily. During the holidays it is a fun ride for the children, with activities and attractions adjacent to each of the six stations.
Hadar acknowledges that the Carmelit, with its steep steps and terraced platforms, does not give access to the disabled – a problem not easily solved by installing lifts or ramps.Carmelit director Avishai Hadar (photo credit: WENDY BLUMFIELD)The six stations give access to many Haifa attractions. Starting from the top: Gan Ha’em was set aside as a garden in 1913, but it was Hannah Khoushy, the wife of the mayor, who gave it its name, which means “Mother’s Garden.” It includes children’s playground, lawns and a stage for concerts, and is adjacent to the Haifa Biological Institute and Zoo.A few steps lead to the Louis Promenade, built in 1992 with donations by Paul and May Goldschmidt in memory of their son Louis, who was killed in a car accident. From the wooded arbors and observation points can be seen a panoramic stretch of the coastline, from the golden beaches at the southern end to the downtown area and port and round to the bay, the sparkling blue sea dotted with boats and cruise ships, the white cliffs of Rosh Hanikra visible in the north and Mount Hermon to the east.At the western end of the promenade is the gate and top terraces of the Bahá’i Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sweeping down 19 terraces, a significant number in the Bahá’i faith, to the German Colony at the foot of the mountain. Daily tours can be booked with a guide who leads visitors down the 750 steps through the exquisite gardens to the middle level of the shrine.The promenade runs alongside the major hotels on the Carmel, and in the Central Carmel area there are many restaurants and bars, shops, the Haifa Auditorium and Hecht Community Center and the Tikotin Japanese Art Museum.Down the line, Bnai Zion (previously Golomb) station gives the best access to the hospital which all Haifaites still call the Rothschild. As there is inadequate paid parking and scarce on-street parking at the hospital, the Carmelit and the local buses often provide the only easy access.The third station, Masada, is on a street known as the wannabe Sheinkin of Haifa. A growing number of little vintage shops, galleries and coffee shops are springing up on this narrow street, with more action in the evening.From the Masada station, a short walk up Tziyonut Street reaches the main gates of the Bahá’i Gardens. At this middle level, visitors can walk freely in the sculpture garden and enter the golden-domed Shrine of the Bab. Haifa is the world center of the Bahá’i faith, and visitors come from all over the world to work there and pay homage to their leader.The next station, Hanevi’im, is at the main crossroads of the Hadar shopping area. A short walk down Shabtai Levy Street reaches the Haifa Museum of Art and Beit Hagefen Jewish-Arab Cultural Center.A stiff walk up Ahad Ha’am Street gives access to the original Technion building and the first of the Reali schools. Built in 1909, the Technion was a Baerwald architectural gem, and when the last of the faculties, architecture, was moved up to the vast campus in Naveh Sha’anan in the 1980s, funds were raised to convert the building into a science museum, the Madatech. Popular for all ages with its changing exhibitions, children can spend all day with hands-on activities, pushing buttons and experimenting with changing light and sound. In recent years the courtyard was landscaped with adventurous exhibits that involve the children’s participation.The shopping streets of Herzl, Hehalutz and Nordau have lost their elegance over the years, but there are still small family businesses selling everyday produce that is not always available in modern shopping malls.The next station, Solel Boneh, accesses Hassan Shukri Street, the municipal offices, Independence Park and an open view of the port area and the sea. A walk down Solel Boneh Street leads to Wadi Nisnas, a meeting place of shops, market stalls and churches, where Israelis of all religions enjoy the Arab clothing and food outlets as well as the classical concerts and other Jewish- Arab cultural events. Each winter, Wadi Nisnas is the center of the Festival of Festivals, celebrating the winter holidays of the three religions.The downtown terminal, Paris Square, links the newly pedestrianized Jaffa Street, which is becoming popular again with its boutique shops and restaurants, with the main Independence Avenue.Paris Square, downtown Carmelit terminal (photo credit: WENDY BLUMFIELD)Nearby is the Israel Railway Museum, which is on the site of the original Haifa East station, a delight for children and railway enthusiasts.A short walk from Paris Square reaches the new government complex; the strange rocket-shaped building at the heart of the complex is the landmark from afar.Walking from Paris Square in the other direction is Haifa Port, where plans are ever being discussed for converting part of it into a leisure center to link up with the German Colony. Adjacent is the main Haifa Central railway station, renamed Hashmona after the eight railway workers killed during the Second Lebanon War.Stepping down the mountain by the Carmelit can add a new dimension to tourism in Haifa, with some fun activities