The Mahanaim Building
Johannes Frutiger arrived to Jerusalem in 1858 as a missionary on behalf of the Pilger Mission based at Chrischona, Basel. He worked for the same organisation as Conrad Schick who arrived at Jerusalem in 1846.
Frutiger represented the Pilger Mission in economical questions, as a local banker. Later he took personal responsibility for the Pilger Missions Bank, and named it J Frutiger & Co, he then became the most well-known banker of Jerusalem, financing Mea Shearim, Mahane Yehuda and other big projects.
Architect Theodor Sandel planned Frutiger’s mansion (not Schick as I have previously written) which was named the Mahanaim II building, facing Ha-Neviim with address 34 Shivtei Ysrael. The villa lacks many of the typical Arabic architectonics which are common for Schick’s architecture.
The house is named after Genesis 32:2 and houses today the offices of the Israeli Ministry of Education.
Gen 32:2: When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.
Mahanaim II build for Johannes Frutiger. Architect was the German Templar Theodor Sandell.
Friends of Conrad Schick 
19 November 2013 at 21:14 |
[…] having a brief introduction to the day at the grand Mahanaim house, built for a prominent Swiss banker and later housing the British High Commissioner, we admired the […]
24 June 2019 at 13:05 |
Is it sure that Schick planned The Mahanaim Building? Some papers day that it was planned by templar Theodore Sandel.
24 June 2019 at 14:33 |
Thanks for your comment! The sources are few. My view about this comes from http://myisraeliguide.com/tag/mahanaim-house/.
Im aware that sometimes sources go in circle. I just checked p 370 in Johannes Frutiger by Frutiger and Eisler. You are right! I Will later corrrect My text. Thanks!