The Armon Hanatziv Promenade overlooks most of Jerusalem and offers a beautiful view of the city. The promenade is one of the
more successful projects initiated by former mayor Teddy
Kollek under the auspices of the Jerusalem Foundation.
Armon Hanatziv means the Commissioner's Palace.
The name is a bygone of another era, when the British High
Commissioner's house, was down the road. The house was later used,
after 1948, as the headquarters for UN observers.
The promenade, which is about two-thirds of a mile
long (one kilometer), is at the southern end of the city, viewing
northwards, you can see on the left, (westwards), new
Jewish Jerusalem; straight ahead, the Old
City, Mount Zion, and the three valleys which surround ancient
Jerusalem, i.e. Tyroppean, Hinnom and Kidron.
Beyond the Old City to the north is French Hill
and Mount Scopus. To the East you can see the Mount
of Olives, with it's three hallmark towers on the crest, and
beyond it the Judean wilderness. Way off the right is "the hill
of evil counsel," or the governor's mansion, now a UN enclave.
At the very end of the promenade there is a lovely
little restaurant, called the Taverna, which is accessible from Naomi
Street in the Abu Tor neighborhood.
To get the promenade by car, find the Jerusalem
train station, across the road from Liberty Bell Garden. Drive around
the bend in front of the station to the traffic light at the
intersection. Make a right onto Hebron Road and continue southwards
through several lights, about four blocks. Turn left off Hebron road
at the sign for the Haas Promenade (East Talpiot) and continue
straight down to the end ot the street to the parking lot.