The French Hospital mmm Sorry, Hotel and Apartment Complex

A French women's convent constructed a hospital in Jaffa in the late 19nth century. The sisters provided medical care for Jaffa's people of all religions and social groups. Countless people from Jaffa were born in the building and received top medical care during their life time. Wounded Palestinians were treated in it during 1948. The very religious sisters spent their lives and energy caring for Jaffa's ill and infirm.

In the spooky cellars there still are some ancient travel boxes of some of those sisters.

The large and imposing building was one the very outskirts of the city at the time of its construction.

After 1948 the building became a mental health clinic, and a few years ago it was closed. The last sisters are very old now, and they moved to a smaller place just opposite.

The lovely building, constructed around a courtyard, stood empty for some years, although there were ways of getting inside and travelling in the eerie cellars downstairs, the morgue or climbing up to to roof for a lovely view of Jaffa. Some people (guess who) held great picknicks with a good wine and food on the very illegal roofttop.

All that is finished and over now. The building is to become a boutique hotel and appartment building for the wealthy. "Electra" Real Estate bought the place and will be investing some 60 million $ in the rennovation.

Although i am happy the building will not be demolished, it's a pity it will not serve the local community, like it did through out its history as a place of care and aid.