Talbieh (Talbiya) is the most architecturally distinguished residential neighborhood in Jerusalem, a collection of stone mansions built by wealthy Arab families in the 1920s and 1930s that has become one of the most sought-after addresses in the city. The neighborhood sits on a ridge south of Rehavia, overlooking the Hinnom Valley and the Old City walls, and its tree-lined streets are among the quietest and most beautiful in Jerusalem.
The Houses
The mansions of Talbieh were built by prominent Arab families during the British Mandate: the Nashashibis, the Dajanis, the Husseinis, and others. These were families of considerable means — landowners, merchants, and professionals — who chose this hilltop for its breezes, its views, and its distance from the crowded Old City. The architectural style blends European and local influences: dressed Jerusalem stone, arched windows, wrought-iron balconies, and gardens with pine trees and bougainvillea. Many houses featured grand entrance halls, mosaic floors, and high ceilings designed to keep interiors cool in the Jerusalem summer. Some incorporated Art Deco details alongside traditional Arab motifs, creating a fusion that remains unique to this neighborhood. Many of the houses are among the finest examples of Mandate-era domestic architecture in the city.
Talbieh After 1948
In 1948, the Arab residents of Talbieh fled or were expelled during the war, and the empty mansions were assigned to Jewish families, many of them refugees and immigrants. Entire extended families sometimes moved into a single grand villa that had once housed a single wealthy household. The neighborhood’s transformation from an Arab elite quarter to a Jewish residential area is one of the most tangible examples of the population exchange that accompanied the war. Over the decades, Talbieh evolved into a prestigious address for Jerusalem’s academic and cultural elite — professors from the nearby Hebrew University, diplomats, and senior government officials settled here, drawn by the elegance of the stone houses and the neighborhood’s central location. The original owners and their descendants have never returned, and the legal and moral questions surrounding the properties remain unresolved.
The President’s Residence
The official residence of the President of Israel, known as Beit HaNasi, is located on Hanassi (President) Street in Talbieh. The building, originally a private mansion, has served as the presidential residence since 1971 and is open to the public on certain occasions, including Independence Day. The Jerusalem Theatre (the Jerusalem Center for the Performing Arts), also located in Talbieh, serves as the city’s premier venue for theater, dance, and music, hosting both Israeli and international productions throughout the year. Together, the presidential residence and the theater make the neighborhood a cultural as well as residential landmark.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
Talbieh tells the story of Jerusalem’s Mandate-era Arab elite and the transformation of 1948. Hoshen Tours walks the streets for visitors interested in architecture, history, and the human stories behind the stone walls.