Wishing Bridge, Jaffa

Plan Your Visit

Open Times: 24/7
Prices: Free.
Average Visit Duration: 10-30 minutes.
Popular Times: During daylight hours. Pro Tip: Try to be here when the sun is setting over the sea for a brilliant photo op.
Special Events: There are often special events in the adjacent parks: live shows, street performers, farmers' markets, and more.
Tours: A quality Jaffa walking tour will include the Wishing Bridge. You can also take other kinds of Tel Aviv tours and see it, and many other nearby Jaffa attractions.

On a walk through the Old City of Jaffa, as you reach the parks that slope down towards Tel Aviv, there is a wooden pedestrian bridge, the Wishing Bridge. Along the bridge’s wooden railing, at regular intervals are thick circles of bronze that feature the twelve astrological signs in relief. The bridge’s bronze adornments were created by local sculptors Freddy Fabian and Esther Shlomo.

the Wishing Bridge, jaffa Welcome to the Wishing Bridge!

At the entrance to the bridge is a mosaic of the zodiac signs set into the stone path created by Ilan Gelber, Navot Gil, and Varda Givoli, all residents of Jaffa. The bridge underwent renovations in 2016 and now has handrails and special lighting designed by Micha Margalit. Although the bridge has been updated and renovated over the years, it is still steeped in tradition.

Pro Tip: The Wishing Bridge is one of the best places to take a photo of St. Peter's Church and of Tel Aviv's stunning coastline.

Make A Wish on the Wishing Bridge

There is a local legend or myth that holds that if you grasp your zodiac sign on the bridge, look out to the sea, and make a wish it will be granted.

the wishing bridge, jaffa Making a Wish on the Wishing Bridge

Astrology is a theme throughout Jaffa. Spot the zodiac fountain in the main square, and the lanes each named after a zodiac sign.

Where is the Wishing Bridge in Jaffa?

The bridge connects Kedumim Square in the Old City of Jaffa with HaPisga Garden at the northern end of the Old City.

History of the Wishing Bridge in Jaffa

The bridge was originally built in the 1960s, to make the area more attractive and add points of interest. It also served a practical purpose connecting the Old City to the sloping parkland that continues down to the seafront promenade and Tel Aviv. In 2011 the bridge was closed because of structural issues. It had begun to erode and was unstable due to constant use.

the Wishing Bridge, jaffa Crossing the Wishing Bridge, on the way to St. Peter's Church

In 2016 renovations began on the bridge and its weathered wooden features were dismantled and replaced. The framework of brass and stainless steel replaced the original steel cable reinforcements, and measures were taken to make it stronger so it could withstand heavy traffic and the high sea winds. The original artists of the zodiac signs were commissioned to create new pieces.