Jerusalem’s 1876 Bishop’s House Fetches NIS 59 Million in Private Sale

Residents and observers of the Jerusalem real estate market are watching closely as one of the city’s oldest structures changes hands. A 150-year-old building known as the Bishop’s House has sold for NIS 59 million, roughly $18.7 million. The transaction includes NIS 9 million in value-added tax, reflecting the high end of the local property sector.

The property at 25 HaNevi’im Street sits on a 1,000-square-meter plot. It features 630 square meters of built space, a courtyard, and rooftop terraces. A private company has acquired the site with plans to undertake extensive preservation and restoration work. The sale was brokered by Ronit and Tomer Dowek of Prosperity Real Estate.

The structure was built in 1876 by the London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews to house Anglican missionaries. Reverend Arthur Hastings Kelk, who oversaw the church’s activities in the region, lived there between 1878 and 1902. The building’s thick stone walls and vaulted ceilings remain intact, reflecting the construction techniques of that era.

The estate has served various purposes over the last century and a half. During World War II, the Phoenicia company operated a glass factory on the site to address a shortage of medical laboratory equipment in Mandatory Palestine. After Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, Finnish missionary sisters ran a kindergarten there before Jewish owners purchased it. In the 1970s, the family of publisher Robert Maxwell resided in the home.

Architectural details include horse stables, grand reception rooms, and a rooftop chamber called the Prophet’s Room. That upper level provides views of the Old City, the Temple Mount, and the Judean Desert. The property is enclosed by a high stone wall, separating its interiors from the surrounding streetscape.

This sale aligns with a rising demand for luxury housing in Jerusalem and other central cities. Analysts note that concerns about antisemitism abroad are influencing buyer decisions. Last week, a French Jewish high-tech entrepreneur purchased two floors in a Tel Aviv beachfront tower for NIS 119 million, or $38 million.

Dowek previously handled the $21 million sale of a century-old home in Talbieh that was once owned by philosopher Martin Buber. Following the Bishop’s House transaction, Dowek said, “There are properties you sell, and there are properties whose stories you feel privileged to become part of.”

The buyer will now begin the process of restoring the building to its historical condition. The project involves maintaining the original stone features while updating the interior spaces for modern use.