Jerusalem's tunnels cemetery nominated for int'l award

Jerusalem underground cemetery Photo: Guy Nadri
Jerusalem underground cemetery Photo: Guy Nadri

With a capacity of 23,025 graves, the tunnels on Har Hamenuhot will help supply Jerusalem's burial needs for 12 years.

The underground cemetery, construction of which is currently being completed in the Har Hamenuhot cemetery on Givat Shaul in Jerusalem, has reached the finals of a global underground design competition to be held next month in Paris by the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association. The cemetery is competing in the innovation category, and the two other competitors in the category are an underground storage master plan in Hong Kong and an underground railway terminal in Istanbul.

The underground burial complex in Har Hamenuhot is a joint initiative of the Jerusalem burial society and the Rolzur Tunneling limited partnership, which previously specialized in underground construction for the Ministry of Defense. The burial society and engineering company have been promoting an underground tunnel city under the regular Givat Shaul cemetery for the past two years at cost of over NIS 200 million as a purely economic venture and a 12-year solution for the shortage of burial space.

According to the design presented to the planning authorities, the tunnels have a capacity of 23,025 graves, including field burial for 10,000 people at 3,800 graves per dunam (15,200 graves per acre). Architect Zafrir Ganany from Peleg Architects led the detailed design, with assistance from land, geological, lighting, plumbing, and other consultants. According to the plan, the center of the tunnels complex will contain a shaft 25 meters long and 50 meters deep (15 floors of the building are for housing). Three elevators with a combined capacity of 90 people will be located in the shaft.

The walls of the shaft, which are like a beehive, will be used for burial. Openings at the bottom of the hill will also allow direct entry to the 15-meters high network of burial tunnels (the height of four floors in a residential building). Movement in the tunnels will be on foot, while small golf carts will carry those for whom walking is difficult.

Burial will be in alcoves drilled into the rock on several floors in the side walls. In areas where the tunnels are shorter, there will also be field burial, which is more prestigious, and will therefore be more profitable. Natural lighting will come from openings in the side of the hill, and a remote-controlled air-conditioning and lighting system will also be installed that can be operated at lower cost when a visit or funeral is taking place.

Rabbi Hananya Shahor, manager of the Kehilat Jerusalem burial society, was surprised that the underground cemetery's candidacy in the competition had been reported, but obviously felt satisfaction and pride, saying, "Rolzur Tunneling, an international company for underground purposes, is responsible for submitting our candidacy. We're traveling there in two weeks, and then we'll see what our final ranking is. I think that it's an honor for the country, an honor for Jerusalem, and an honor for the thousands of deceased, because there's innovation there. They dug a hole in the earth for thousands of years, and now something has suddenly changed. I'm not going to Paris to get a prize; I regard it as part of my mission."

Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on November 6, 2017

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017

Jerusalem underground cemetery Photo: Guy Nadri
Jerusalem underground cemetery Photo: Guy Nadri
Eilat's old airport Photo: Shutterstock Building set to begin on former Eilat airport land

2,469 housing units will be built as well as 2,776 hotel rooms, 88,000 square meters of office space and 95,000 square meters of commercial space.

Israeli apartments Credit: Shutterstock Apartments sold and rented

A selection of recent real estate deals in Israel in Givatayim, Ra'anana, Modiin-Maccabim-Reut, Gedera, Kiryat Shemona and Ashkelon.

Airbnb credit: Reuters Knesset ignores Airbnb tax evasion loophole

The Israel Hotels Association has slammed the government's indifference to tax evasion by Airbnb landlords, which it insists promotes unfair competition.

Sde Dov credit: Guy Yehieli Tenders close for 2,744 more homes in Sde Dov

Four tenders closed last month for the north Tel Aviv district saw a decrease of about 40% in the prices of land, and there is great interest in the prices these latest tenders will fetch.

Tel Aviv credit: Shutterstock Rent rises moderate due to emigration and reserve duty

Rents only rose 4% in 2024, the Bank of Israel reports, despite the large number of evacuees, due to the negative migration balance and the large number of young people in the army reserves.

Africa Israel Residence CEO Ronit Eshed Levy credit: Cadya Levy "Jewish communities want to move together to Jerusalem"

Africa Israel Residence CEO Ronit Eshed Levy told the Globes Going Long on Israel investment conference about urban renewal in Jerusalem.

Israeli apartments Credit: Shutterstock Apartments sold and rented

A selection of recent real estate deals in Israel in Tel Aviv, Netanya, Rishon Lezion, Tirat Carmel and Sderot.

Supervisor of Banks Daniel Hahiashvili   credit: Eyal Izhar, Shlomi Yosef  processing: Tali Bogdanovsky BoI moves to restrict developers' financing offers

Supervisor of Banks Daniel Hahiashvili sees growing risk in bank loans subsidizing new home purchases.

Check Point offices credit: Shutterstock Check Point, Israel Canada buying NIS 800m Tel Aviv site

The two companies are expected to win a tender by the Tel Aviv Municipality for land zoned for residential and office construction in the Bitsaron neighborhood.

Inflation  credit: Tali Bogdanovsky Unexpectedly low February CPI reading cuts inflation

While inflation in Israel in the 12 months to the end of February 2025 is lower than forecast, housing prices continue to rise.

Bavli Park penthouse credit: Eyal Tagar Tel Aviv Park Bavli penthouse sells for NIS 43m

A 44th floor penthouse in one of the two towers in businessman Yitzhak Tshuva's Park Bavli project has been bought by an Israeli businessperson.

Tel Aviv credit: Shutterstock Supply of unsold new homes hits record

Israel's real estate market is sliding into recession with 78,000 unsold new apartments in January, the Central Bureau of Statistics reports.

Real estate agencies illustration: Tali Bogdanovsky credit: Eyal Izhar Too many agents and too few housing deals in Tel Aviv

There were 2,270 second-hand homes sold in Tel Aviv last year, while the city has 2,566 registered realtors, "Globes" finds.

Ramat Hasharon house in Ankor Street credit: Leanna Rose Ramat Hasharon house sells for NIS 12.4m

The 240 square meter, five-room semi-detached house on two floors is on a 430 square meter lot in the Neve Rom neighborhood.

Israeli apartments Credit: Shutterstock Apartments sold and rented

A selection of recent real estate deals in Israel in Ramat Gan, Holon, Modi'in Illit, Rehovot, Akko and Ashkelon.

BIG Glilot office tower credit: Dror Marmor 63% of BIG Glilot office tower already leased

The 44-floor office tower above the shopping center is charging lower rents than Tel Aviv but higher than Herzliya.

Twitter Facebook Linkedin RSS Newsletters גלובס Israel Business Conference 2018