Dizengoff Square, Tel Aviv

Its official name is "Zina Dizengoff Square” (after the wife of Tel Aviv’s first Mayor), and in its first days it was a characteristic symbol to the essence of the "White City”. Initially it was designed by the architect Genia Awerbuch, and the buildings that surrounded it were built in the same architectural style. In 1978 it was raised in order to provide a solution to traffic issues. After a few more years a water fountain by the artist Yaakov Agam, from the fathers of kinetic art, was put at its center (its official name is the "Fire and Water Fountain"). The fountain is composed out of several large serrated circles that are designed in a kinetic style and it became one of the city’s symbols. The raising of Dizengoff Square and of the fountain in its center are controversial and lately it has been decided to examine anew alternatives to change its appearance. Either way, Dizengoff Square is inhabited by many pigeon feeders during the day, teenagers in the evening and everyone else in between. Dizengoff Square provides a lookout point over Dizengoff Street and at certain hours it becomes fairly crowded, but in the good sense of the word. On Friday mornings and Tuesday afternoons a charming small second hand and bargains market opens here, where one can find nostalgic surprises, from jewelry to posters, watches and books.