Baka (Geulim) - A Guide to the Historic Neighbourhood of South Jerusalem

Between the German Colony and Talpiot, along Bethlehem Road (Derech Beit Lehem), stretches one of Jerusalem's loveliest and most intriguing neighbourhoods: Baka, known by its official Hebrew name "Geulim". This is a neighbourhood where history shows in almost every corner - grand Mandate-era stone houses alongside a lively commercial street and a mixed community that has turned it, over the past few decades, into one of the most sought-after neighbourhoods in the city.

Character and history

Baka was founded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in the years when the railway line to Jerusalem was laid. Its original name, "Baq'a" in Arabic, means ground mixed with pebbles. Up to the War of Independence in 1948 some 1,200 Muslim and Christian families lived here, and its grand houses - two storeys tall, blending eastern and western building styles - were home to some of the leading figures of cosmopolitan Jerusalem under the British Mandate: well-off Arabs, Armenians, English and Jews.

After 1948 the neighbourhood emptied of its Arab residents, and new immigrants moved into the empty houses, many of them from Morocco, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia, arriving from a nearby transit camp in Talpiot. The Hebrew name "Geulim" was given for the redemption from exile. For decades this was a mixed and relatively modest area, but in recent years Baka has gone through a significant process of renewal: the historic houses have been restored, well-off families and foreign residents have bought property here, and housing prices have climbed accordingly.

What to see and do

The main pleasure of Baka is simply walking its streets and looking at the historic stone houses, many of them listed for preservation. There are also dedicated guided tours that tell its story as a "hidden gem" of Mandate-era Jerusalem. At the edge of the neighbourhood, towards the German Colony, is the First Station - a culture and leisure complex built around Jerusalem's historic railway station, which operated from the end of the 19th century until 1998 and today serves as a hub for going out, events and restaurants.

Food and cafes

The neighbourhood's main street, Bethlehem Road, is the busy commercial spine where most of the cafes, restaurants and small shops are concentrated. It is a local street at heart - ideal for a slow breakfast, a cup of coffee or some easy shopping - and next to it the nearby First Station adds a further range of food and entertainment options.

Getting there

Baka lies in south Jerusalem, next to the German Colony and the Greek Colony to the north, and the Talpiot neighbourhood to the south. Its position close to Hebron Road (Derech Hevron) and the old railway station makes it easy to reach from the city centre and the Old City, only a short ride away.

Planning a visit to Baka or the neighbourhoods around it? It is worth checking livejlm.com for running updates on events, activities and what is on in Jerusalem right now - so you catch the neighbourhood at its liveliest.