White City of Tel Aviv

White City of Tel Aviv 2006/5766
First in the Unesco World Heritage Sites In Israel Coin Series
Legal Tender issued by the Bank of Israel

"The White City" of Tel Aviv was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2003 in recognition of the city's unique, universal significance to be preserved for future generations.

Founded in 1909, Tel Aviv was innovatively styled to meet the climate conditions, daily needs and lifestyle of the era. "The White City" was designed by one of the foremost pioneers of 20th century city planning, Sir Patrick Geddes, and contains the world's largest concentration of buildings constructed in the "Bauhaus International Style", with over 4,000 constructed from the 1930's until the establishment of the State. The designs of European schooled architects created a new, enriched and versatile language of style, characterized by asymmetry, functionality and simplicity. Balconies, columns, flat rooftops and picturesque windows have enhanced the city for decades as classic marks of identification. This coin was awarded second place in the "Vicenza Palladio" International Contest.

Obverse: Face value in Hebrew and English, Israel State Emblem, "Israel" in English, Hebrew and Arabic, mint year; to the right, graphic representations of Bauhaus architecture, from different angles on each of the three coin versions, border inscription "International Style" in Hebrew and English.

Reverse: Typical Bauhaus style building shown from corner angle with UNESCO and World Heritage Site Emblems to the left, border inscription "White City of Tel Aviv" in Hebrew, English and Arabic.

Edge: Silver Prooflike Coin: Smooth, Silver Proof and Gold Coin: Milled

Mint Marks: Silver Prooflike Coin – Star of David, Silver Proof and Gold Coin – Hebrew letter "Mem"

Designer: Meir Eshel

Plaster Models: Tidhar Dagan

Mint: Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation Mint