The area where Mt. Carmel center(Merkaz Ha'Carmel in Hebrew) is located nowadays, extends along the watershed line of the mountain. At the time it was a waste ground, until the end of the 19th century. The first settlers there were German Templers of the German Colony in Haifa. The initiator behind the future neighbourhood was Fritz Keller, the German vice consul in Haifa. The name given to this new neighbourhood was Carmelheim. This is where Keller and other German wealthy people established their summer & weekend residence. In no time, more initiators established more resthouses & hotels for pilgrims. Those were intended ,especially, for summer time.
Following the acquisitions of required plots of land by the German Templers, an international conflict broke out. Involved in The Conflict were Carmelite Church, Pope Leo the 13th & the German leader, Otto von Bismarck. When conflict has been solved, Mt. Carmel was, in fact, "divided" into two controled regions: The French region & The German one. As a result of the conflict,Keller was compelled to build a bypassing route from downtown Haifa up to the peak of the mountain (in addition to the existing Stella Maris route.) Consequently,two new main roads were built:One is known today as Zionism Blvd.(Shderot Ha'Tsionut,in Hebrew,ex UN Blvd.,ex Ha'har St.)The second, known today by the name The President Blvd.(Shderot Ha'Nassi in Hebrew).
The Germans developed gardens around their houses & also established public parks,like the one known today as Gan Ha'em(Mother's Park),that was established in 1913.
Unfortunately, many of the houses that have been built by the Germans in & around Central Carmel, were destructed & new houses have been built instead. The neighbourhood of Carmelheim extended around the streets known today as: Keller St.,Itshak Blvd. & Ha'Tsvi Blvd., But as mentioned, only few of them survived to these days.
When Jews from Germany immigrated to Palestine, at the beginning of the thirties of the 20th century, many of them were attracted to Merkaz Ha'Carmel, because of the beautiful views & the mild weather during summer time. Since then & As a result, Merkaz Ha'Carmel has been enormously developed.
Today, Merkaz Ha'Carmel is a very popular residential neighbourhood , as well as a center of business & amusement of Haifa.

May,2007