Heritage
Built by two brothers, shared by a whole street
Villa Talbiyeh was built by two Armenian brothers as a pair of twin houses — Hovevei Zion 9 and Hovevei Zion 11 — connected by a shared well and its now-famous pump.
The story
A house at the very start of a neighborhood
Hovevei Zion was one of the very first streets built outside the walls of the Old City, making the house part of the earliest chapter of Jerusalem’s expansion beyond its ancient walls.
With its high ceilings, arched windows and doorways, and wrought-iron balconies, the house still carries the architectural character that defined this corner of Jerusalem a century ago.
The well pump today, still standing between the two houses.
The well
Still standing, a century later
For decades, that well was the lifeblood of the neighborhood: families from all around Talbiyeh would come to draw their water from it, making the house not just a home but a kind of communal heart for the area. The well is now the subject of a planned renovation, so that this piece of the neighborhood’s history can be preserved and appreciated for generations to come.
The street
Hovevei Zion Street, where the story began
One of the first streets to rise outside the walls of the Old City — still lined with the stone houses of those early years.
Stay with us
Three apartments and a garden of peace
Live inside the story — book an apartment, or join one of our women’s retreats.
Villa Talbiyeh
Hovevei Zion Street, Talbiyeh
Jerusalem
© 2026 Villa Talbiyeh