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History and Architecture
.jpg "Weizmann House (West facade)")
Weizmann House (West facade)
Built in 1936, the Weizmann House was the private residence of Dr. Chaim Weizmann (1874-1952) and his wife Dr. Vera Weizmann (1881-1966). Chaim Weizmann was a scientist, President of the World Zionist Organization (1921-1931 and 1935-1946), first President of the State of Israel (1948-1952), and founder and first President of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Vera Weizmann was a pediatrician.
The Weizmanns were born in Russia, studied in Germany and Switzerland, and lived for some 30 years in England. They chose to build their home in the Land of Israel, in Rehovot, next to the Daniel Sieff Research Institute, which later became the Weizmann Institute of Science.
The house was designed by Erich Mendelsohn (1887-1953), an acclaimed Jewish architect who had fled Germany when the Nazis came to power. The Weizmann House was Mendelsohn’s first project in the Land of Israel. It’s a modern structure, sited on a hill overlooking the coastal plain to the west and the Judean Mountains to the east. Mendelsohn described it as a “model house for a person standing on the stage of history.”
A special effort was made to adapt the structure to its physical environment, culture, and climate. It was referred to as a modern, aristocratic house, in harmony with its surroundings, well suited to its purpose, fully expressing the soul of its owners, and, like them, a national treasure. In popular parlance the house was referred to as “the palace.” Its dimensions were large and its style unique.
.jpg "The Weizmann House (east facade)")
Weizmann House (east facade)
In the center of the house is a stairwell, designed like a tower looking out into the distance. At its base are three rectangles: two, similar in structure and size, serve
as the library and drawing room; the central rectangle is out of doors – a columned courtyard containing a swimming pool. The rooms have numerous doors that open into the central courtyard.
The walls of the house are particularly thick and consist of several insulating layers: bricks, cork, sawdust, and plaster. High on the walls are small round windows resembling portholes of a ship, which let in soft light while preventing overheating.
With the election of Dr. Weizmann to the Presidency of Israel, the house became the official residence of the country’s President. After Weizmann’s death, the presidential residence moved to Jerusalem. The Weizmanns donated the estate, the house, and its contents to the State of Israel, in order to preserve the heritage of the first President. The house was first renovated in 1978, and opened to the public as a museum. In 1999, additional work was undertaken to preserve the property and restore its original character. This renovation was performed with the planning and supervision of architect Hillel Schocken and curator Merav Segal.
The spiral staircase
Chaim Weizmann’s bedroom
Vera and Chaim Weizmann’s study
Dining room
