The battle of Andromeda's Rock

The Andromeda Rock is not alone; the Old Jaffa Development Corporation wants to put up a statue that would perpetuate the Greek legend of the princess and the monster

Amit Ben David|Published: 11.28.06 , 20:12

A controversial statue is set to be erected adjacent to the Andromeda Rock, just off the Jaffa Port. The sculpture is aimed at perpetuating one of the legends from Greek mythology.

However, experts say building the statue opposes World Cultural and Natural Heritage laws, and they fear it would block the view of the rock and the real heritage.

Andromeda Rocks

For years, a long row of rocks has been positioned along the Jaffa coast. The rocks only slightly raise their heads above water forming a natural breakwater that has become known as the Andromeda Rocks.

Greek legend has it that Andromeda's mother, Queen Cassiopeia, would boast that her daughter was more beautiful than the daughters of Poseidon, the Greek God of the Sea. In revenge Poseidon sent a sea monster to prey upon the country; he could only be appeased by the sacrifice of the king's daughter.

Hence, Andromeda was chained to a rock by the sea but was rescued by Perseus, the ruler of Mount Olympus, and god of the sky and thunder, who killed the monster, fell in love with her and later married her.

The Old Jaffa Development Corporation decided to illustrate the legend. Last month it sent out proposals to artists tasking them with the design of a statue in the image of Andromeda tied to the rock, and which will be erected in the water close to the famous rock.

The company set up a committee headed by architect Dan Eitan to select the winning proposal. The 45 proposals that have been received so far will be opened on December 13th and the three leading proposals selected.

The three chosen artists will be asked to build a reduced model of their proposal from which the final winning sculpture will be selected.

Problems ahead

Aviad Shar-Shalom, an environmental landscaper who specializes in "cultural landscapes," says the rock is listed in UNESCO's Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property.

He says that according to the convention, which Israel has also signed "the justification for the inclusion of such landscapes in the world heritage list stems from religious, artistic and cultural elements that highlight natural elements rather than material cultural evidence."

Shar-Shalom notes if a statue is built adjacent to the rock, he fears it will "dwarf" the rock and ruin the magic of the legend. Although the rock is not defined as a world heritage site, the committee on which Shar-Shalom is a member is planning to fight the proposed erection of the statue.

Nir Papai, the coast coordinator at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel says: "any building should be carried out as a planned process, it is inconceivable that an economic, municipal body would do as it sees fit with nature."

Director of the Old Jaffa Development Corporation, Yaron Klein says the statue will be built on a concrete platform owned by the shipping authority, which approved the project. He added that it would add to the attractiveness of the site when tourists come to see the rock.

"The statue will be lit from the shore, and would be as spectacular as other statues worldwide, such as the Statue of Liberty in New York.