The Road to Jerusalem: Designing an Historic Landscape Infrastructure

This study examines the road to Jerusalem and its transformation in the 1960s, from an historically significant route for pilgrims and travelers that embodied deep cultural, religious, and historical layers, to a modern highway, leading to the new capital of the young state of Israel. This transformation, led by landscape architect Arye Dvir, involved substantial modifications that altered the physical landscape as well as the travel experience, integrating scenic and cultural elements into the road’s expansion. Drawing on archival materials, aerial imagery, historical maps, and an interview with Dvir, the study situates the road within broader discourses on landscape architecture, heritage preservation, and national identity. Looking at other scenic highways abroad highlights the road’s unique role in shaping collective memory and national symbolism, thus offering new perspectives on infrastructure development within cultural landscapes.