Mitchell Park and Gardens – Hinnom Valley

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In June 1967, Jerusalem’s geography changed almost overnight. For nearly two decades the city had been divided by a tense border separating Israeli and Jordanian control. Between the two sides stretched irregular patches of land that belonged to neither. Barbed wire, abandoned terraces, and empty slopes formed a narrow strip known simply as “no man’s land.” Along the western and southern edges of the Old City these spaces cut through the landscape, leaving valleys and hillsides inaccessible for years. When the war ended and the city was reunited, Jerusalem suddenly inherited these neglected stretches of terrain.

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Some saw the newly opened land as an opportunity for construction and expansion. Yet mayor Teddy Kollek had another vision—one that viewed the slopes surrounding the Old City as landscapes worth preserving. Instead of filling the valleys with new buildings, the idea was to protect the natural setting that gives Jerusalem its distinctive form. Jan and Ellin Mitchell, philanthropists and committed Zionists, became among the most important supporters of this vision, helping turn Kollek’s idea into a lasting public landscape.

Working closely with Mayor Teddy Kollek and through the Jerusalem Foundation, the Mitchell family helped advance a bold idea for the newly unified city. Portions of the former border zone would be transformed into a large public landscape framing the Old City and preserving the dramatic terrain around it. Their efforts led to the creation of Mitchell Park and Gardens in 1973, the first privately established national park in Israel.

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The Mitchells’ vision rested on a simple but powerful principle. Jerusalem’s beauty lies not only in its buildings but also in the open spaces around them. By protecting the valleys and slopes that surround the Old City, the park ensured that the ancient walls would remain set within an open landscape rather than crowded by modern construction. In doing so, it preserved the delicate balance between Jerusalem’s historic core and the growing modern city around it.

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Today Mitchell Park and Gardens stretches across a broad swath of terrain along the southern and western edges of the Old City. It includes the slopes of the Hinnom Valley, the historic basin of Sultan’s Pool [was marked in yellow – check why], and the landscaped areas descending from Mishkenot Sha’ananim and Yemin Moshe toward Mamilla. From these hillsides the Old City walls rise across the valley, their massive stones visible between terraces and trees.

Over time the park has also become an important cultural landscape. Festivals, outdoor gatherings, yoga and more take place in the Hinnom Valley, while Sultan’s Pool serves as one of Jerusalem’s most impressive concert venues. The annual Jerusalem Film Festival draws audiences to this remarkable setting beneath the Old City walls. The newest addition to Mitchell Park and Gardens – Teddy Park, with its landscaped gardens and lively splash fountain, has become a popular destination for families. All made possible, by the open preserved landscape that houses them.

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More than half a century after its creation, Mitchell Park and Gardens remains a testament to thoughtful urban vision. By preserving the slopes surrounding the Old City, the Mitchell family helped ensure that Jerusalem’s historic skyline would remain open, remarkable, and connected to the landscape that has shaped it for centuries.

Mitchell Park and Gardens – Hinnom Valley

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28 Community Centers

Mishkenot Sha’ananim Cultural Center and Guesthouse