Shalom Meir Tower: Israel's first skyscraper
When inaugurated in 1965 in the heart of Tel Aviv, Shalom Meir Tower was not merely a building but a statement: Israel's first skyscraper, rising to a height of approximately 123 metres and then the tallest structure in the Middle East and all of Asia.
The tower, comprising approximately 34 floors, was designed by architects Yitzhak Perlshtein, Gideon Ziv and Meir Levi, and was erected on the site of the historic "Herzliya" Hebrew gymnasium building which was demolished for its construction — a move that sparked considerable public controversy at the time.
In its lower floors operated the large department store "Kalbo Shalom", whose name became famous in the 1960s and 1970s, before the era of shopping malls in Israel. Its fame was such that many call the building by that name to this day.
01"Kalbo Shalom"
When inaugurated, the tower was the tallest in the Middle East and all of Asia.
02Distinctions worn away with time
The building held the title "tallest in Asia" until 1968, and "tallest in the Middle East" until 1979. In a renovation carried out between 2003–2004, an addition was made to its upper section and its height climbed to approximately 129 metres. Today, in the Rothschild complex, it continues to serve as an active office building.