Generali Building

The Generali Building stands out because of the massive bronze statue of a winged lion perched high on its corner. This limestone structure served as the Jerusalem headquarters for the Italian insurance company Generali during the British Mandate. When the British army ordered the building's evacuation in nineteen forty-six, the Irgun paramilitary group planted explosives in the basement to destroy the local administrative offices. The resulting blast leveled a significant portion of the structure, leaving behind a scarred, partially ruined shell for decades.