Feel the cool stone beneath your fingertips. This is Ticho House. Right here in Jerusalem.
This elegant building wasn’t always known as Ticho House. It began life in the 1860s as the Aga Rashid villa a fine example of Ottoman architecture. Vaulted ceilings thick walls and a grand central hall characterized its design. A spacious garden surrounded it a tranquil oasis amidst the bustling city.
The Aga Rashid villa saw many residents over the years. One notable family the Shapiras lived here. Their daughter Myriam Harry later chronicled her childhood memories in her memoir. But the name Ticho truly etched itself onto this house’s history.
In 1924 Dr Abraham Albert Ticho an ophthalmologist and his wife Anna Ticho an accomplished artist purchased the house. Dr Ticho a renowned physician established a clinic on the first floor. He treated countless patients daily often battling the widespread trachoma. Thousands prayed for his recovery after a brutal stabbing during the 1929 riots. His clinic became a beacon of hope and healing.
Meanwhile Anna Ticho’s artistic spirit transformed the house into a vibrant cultural hub. The couple welcomed artists writers and intellectuals. Their home became a center for intellectual discourse and artistic expression. Anna Ticho’s art celebrated Jerusalem’s landscape its light and its people. Her distinctive drawings of Jerusalem’s hills are iconic.
Anna Ticho bequeathed Ticho House and its contents including her artwork and her husband’s Judaica collection to the Israel Museum. This remarkable act ensured that the legacy of the Tichos would endure.
Today Ticho House stands as a testament to this remarkable couple’s lives. It’s a museum an art gallery and a cafe. The house is a living piece of Jerusalem’s history a place where art medicine and culture converge. You can still feel the echoes of their lives within these walls. Enjoy the journey through time.