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Photos | Tel Aviv’s Central Bus Station: a commuter hub with a soul

Commonly referred to as "the Monstrosity," Tel Aviv's Central Bus Station has become a hub for a large variety of activities. Dancers, musicians and circus artists use its free space to practice and perform, and the homeless are also drawn into its shadows. The space has given rise to an eclectic mix of commerce and culture. The station's diversity reflects the neighbourhood, where a large foreign migrant population lives in mostly run-down apartment blocks.

Updated on: Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM IST

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Lior Avshalem, 42, and Rotem Cohen, 41, actors from the Mystorin Theatre Ensemble, perform in the group’s show “Seven,” a site-specific act that uses all seven floors of the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv, Israel. The labyrinth of passageways in the bus station has given rise to an eclectic mix of commerce and culture, giving a unique character to the place. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

Lior Avshalem, 42, and Rotem Cohen, 41, actors from the Mystorin Theatre Ensemble, perform in the group’s show “Seven,” a site-specific act that uses all seven floors of the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv, Israel. The labyrinth of passageways in the bus station has given rise to an eclectic mix of commerce and culture, giving a unique character to the place. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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Girls from Eritrea play in an open area opposite to the Central Bus Station. Opened in 1993 with hopes of rejuvenating one of its poorest neighbourhoods, the station is now commonly referred to as “the Monstrosity”. An urban development dream gone bad, the seven-storey jumble of grungy corridors was once envisaged as a slick shopping centre serving streams of commuters. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

Girls from Eritrea play in an open area opposite to the Central Bus Station. Opened in 1993 with hopes of rejuvenating one of its poorest neighbourhoods, the station is now commonly referred to as “the Monstrosity”. An urban development dream gone bad, the seven-storey jumble of grungy corridors was once envisaged as a slick shopping centre serving streams of commuters. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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People eat food purchased from a nearby Filipino food market inside the bus station. People eat food purchased from a nearby Filipino food market inside the bus station. The market serves a large community of carers for the elderly, there’s a makeshift Philippine church, a folksy Yiddish book centre and money changers. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

People eat food purchased from a nearby Filipino food market inside the bus station. People eat food purchased from a nearby Filipino food market inside the bus station. The market serves a large community of carers for the elderly, there’s a makeshift Philippine church, a folksy Yiddish book centre and money changers. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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Buses are parked at the bus station. Dancers, musicians and circus artists use its free space to practice and perform, and the homeless are also drawn into its shadows. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

Buses are parked at the bus station. Dancers, musicians and circus artists use its free space to practice and perform, and the homeless are also drawn into its shadows. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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Dana Forer, 40, an actress and manager of the Mystorin Theatre Ensemble, performs in the group’s show “Seven.” The ensemble has made the building its artistic home. “The Central Bus Station is a playground for imagination,” she said. “I feel full of joy and creativity when we light up the dark spaces with our performance.” (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

Dana Forer, 40, an actress and manager of the Mystorin Theatre Ensemble, performs in the group’s show “Seven.” The ensemble has made the building its artistic home. “The Central Bus Station is a playground for imagination,” she said. “I feel full of joy and creativity when we light up the dark spaces with our performance.” (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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Tamar Lehman, a 32-year-old social counsellor for young adults, comes to the station to practise dancing and play her accordion. “I felt this building is just like the people I work with - they may appear totally confused within themselves, not understood, bizarre, but the more you learn about the people and their inner structure you slowly become more familiar with their inner world, with all its craziness, and you see the beauty,” Lehman said. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

Tamar Lehman, a 32-year-old social counsellor for young adults, comes to the station to practise dancing and play her accordion. “I felt this building is just like the people I work with - they may appear totally confused within themselves, not understood, bizarre, but the more you learn about the people and their inner structure you slowly become more familiar with their inner world, with all its craziness, and you see the beauty,” Lehman said. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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Merry Christ Palacios, 37, a caregiver from Philippines, prays during a church service held at the bus station. She also shops at the station. “It’s special because I can find everything we need to buy,” she said, but added visitors need to be “very careful about their bag, cellphone, money and things” as they navigate the station’s hallways. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

Merry Christ Palacios, 37, a caregiver from Philippines, prays during a church service held at the bus station. She also shops at the station. “It’s special because I can find everything we need to buy,” she said, but added visitors need to be “very careful about their bag, cellphone, money and things” as they navigate the station’s hallways. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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A man poses for an artist as a model at the bus station. The station’s diversity reflects the neighbourhood, where a large foreign migrant population lives in mostly run-down apartment blocks. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

A man poses for an artist as a model at the bus station. The station’s diversity reflects the neighbourhood, where a large foreign migrant population lives in mostly run-down apartment blocks. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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Stav Pinto, 24, employs her circus talents to teach life skills to special needs children. Pinto and her hula hoop take part in an informal circus group that meets on Monday evenings. “There’s a magical air to the Central Bus Station that reminds me of a dark urban forest. It’s a place of adventure where you can meet a variety of people and be exposed to different cultures,” she said. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

Stav Pinto, 24, employs her circus talents to teach life skills to special needs children. Pinto and her hula hoop take part in an informal circus group that meets on Monday evenings. “There’s a magical air to the Central Bus Station that reminds me of a dark urban forest. It’s a place of adventure where you can meet a variety of people and be exposed to different cultures,” she said. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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Seats are seen inside an abandoned cinema in the basement of the bus station. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

Updated on Jul 17, 2019 10:42 AM

Seats are seen inside an abandoned cinema in the basement of the bus station. (Corinna Kern / REUTERS)

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