What to See in Beirut - Top Sights and Attractions

Shopping center in Beirut, Lebanon. Beirut Souks is a major commercial district in Beirut Central District. With over 200 shops, 25 restaurants and cafes, an entertainment center, a 14 cinema complex, periodic street markets and an upcoming department store, it is Beirut's largest and most diverse shopping and leisure area. Beirut Souks also features piazzas and public space. Designed in five separate commissions by international and Lebanese architects, Beirut Souks offer 128,000 sq. m of built-up area interspersed with landscaped pedestrian zones.

The souks have historically been at the commercial heart of Beirut. They sustained severe damage during the Lebanese Civil War and were rebuilt by Solidere according to the ancient Greek street grid, maintaining the historic landmarks and pre-war street names.^[1]

Lebanon's history told through exhibits. The National Museum of Beirut is the principal museum of archaeology in Lebanon. The collection begun after World War I, and the museum was officially opened in 1942. The museum has collections totaling about 100,000 objects, most of which are antiquities and medieval finds from excavations undertaken by the Directorate General of Antiquities. About 1300 artifacts are exhibited, ranging in date from prehistoric times to the medieval Mamluk period.

During the 1975 Lebanese Civil War, the museum stood on the front line that separated the warring factions. The museum's Egyptian Revival building and its collection suffered extensive damage in the war, but most of the artifacts were saved by last-minute preemptive measures.

Today, after a major renovation, the National Museum of Beirut has regained its former position, especially as a leading collector for ancient Phoenician objects.^[3]

Cathedral in Beirut, Lebanon. Saint George Maronite Cathedral is the cathedral of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut, Archdiocese of the city of Beirut, Lebanon. Its construction, with a Neoclassical facade, interior and plan inspired by the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, began in 1884 and ended in 1894.

The cathedral was heavily hit and shelled during the Lebanese civil war and was plundered and defaced. A number of works of art that were looted have since been recovered, including the famous painting by Eugène Delacroix representing Saint George, the patron saint of the cathedral and of the Archdiocese of the city of Beirut. The cathedral was restored after the end of the hostilities and was re-inaugurated by the Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir on 24 April 2000.^[7]

Street in Beirut, Lebanon. Rue Spears is a street in Beirut, Lebanon that was named after British General Edward Spears who in 1941 liaised with General Charles de Gaulle and his Free French movement to liberate the Levant. He was appointed the British minister in Beirut in 1942. Spears would later also urge the Lebanese and Syrians to claim independence from France after being converted to the Arab nationalist vision. Due to his initiatives, Great Britain recognized a de facto independent Lebanon in 1942.

Rue Spears is a one-way street that runs west-east, beginning at the intersection of Rue de Rome and ending at Rue Fakhreddine. René Moawad Garden is located on the street and so is the National Library, National Radio Station, Ministry of Interior, Chamber of Commerce, Future Television studios, and Helem Center, the Middle-East's first gay rights organization.^[13]

Sassine Square is a town square in Beirut, Lebanon, it is one of the most prominent urban areas of East Beirut, Lebanon. It is located in the Achrafieh district.

Historically and popularly named after an old and prominent family of Achrafieh, Sassine Square was officially inaugurated in the early '90s under the auspices of President Elias Hrawi, Prime-Minister Rafic Hariri, Member of Parliament Michel Sassine, and the Municipal Council of Beirut City.

Sassine Square is reputed to be a key social and commercial focal point of the Lebanese capital. Beyond being a residential area with a large pedestrian and transportation hub, it hosts renowned commercial and leisure centers, including the ABC Mall, attracting large numbers of visitors and tourists.

Like the ancient Agora of the Greek towns, Sassine Square is becoming a meeting place where all the Lebanese from different cultures and confessions communicate daily.

On 19 October 2012, a car bomb exploded in an alley leading to Sassine street next to Sassine Square killing 8 including Wissam al-Hassan and injuring 78.^[16]

Berytus, briefly known as Laodicea in Phoenicia or Laodicea in Canaan from the 2nd century to 64 BCE, was the ancient city of Beirut from the Roman Republic through the Roman Empire and Early Byzantine period/late antiquity. Berytus became a Roman colonia that would be the center of Roman presence in the eastern Mediterranean shores south of Anatolia. The veterans of two Roman legions under Augustus were established in the city, that afterward quickly became Romanized and was the only fully Latin-speaking city in the Syria-Phoenicia region until the fourth century. Although Berytus was still an important city after earthquakes, around 400 AD Tyre was made the capital of the Roman province of Phoenicia. "Of the great law schools of Rome, Constantinople, and Berytus", the law school of Berytus stood "pre-eminent". The Code of Justinian was mostly created in this school.^[18]

Museum in Beirut, Lebanon. The Robert Mouawad Private Museum is a private residence in Beirut's Zokak el-Blat quarter that was turned into a museum by the Lebanese businessman Robert Mouawad. The palace was built in the neo-gothic style by the Lebanese politician and art collector Henri Philippe Pharaoun in 1891. The museum was inaugurated on May 11, 2006. It houses objects of value reflecting a mix of artistic oriental and occidental cultures, and a rare collection of books, Chinese porcelain, ceramics, and other significant objects. The palace's architecture and design reflects Pharaoun's infatuation with Islamic Art and decorative wooden panels that date back to the 17th century, especially after his repeated travels to Syria. Other displayed artifacts include Byzantine mosaics, Roman marble sculptures, jars and jugs, historical columns, pottery, ancient weapons, unique carpets, sophisticated jewelry pieces, rare precious stones, Melkite Catholic icons, and preserved manuscripts.^[19]

Neighbourhood in Beirut, Lebanon. Saifi Village is a residential upscale neighbourhood in Beirut, Lebanon. Saifi Village is located at the southeastern periphery of Centre Ville. The village is bordered by Rue Charles Debbas to the south, Rue George Haddad to the east, Rue Gouraud to the north, and Rue Ariss & Kanaani to the west. Its location is at the beginning of the former Green Line, the main frontline in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War.

The neighborhood was completely destroyed during the war in Lebanon. However, private company Solidere has rebuilt the neighbourhood in a vernacular style that seeks to be somehow reminiscent of French colonial buildings. It was initially planned by French architect François Spoerry, and includes buildings by prominent Lebanese architects such as Nabil Gholam. Saifi Village is an example of a New Urbanist-style neighbourhood with cobblestone streets, apartment buildings, town houses, and shops. The shops range from a combination of designer shops to car dealerships such as Ferrari. It is also the home of a few art galleries and new uprising Lebanese designer shops, including Bokja Design, Nada Debs, and Vick Vanlian Gallery. The village also includes gardens that are filled with seasonal shrubs, flowers, and trees. It is also a place for family gatherings due to the presence of children play grounds and wooden benches and fountains for the full park experience. Extensive deployment of private security is, however, a serious deterrent for undesired lower-income families and visitors, as in other Solidere-managed development projects, such as Zaytounay Bay. The neighbourhood is also known as Le Quartier des Arts due to its numerous art galleries, antique store, artisan shops, and speciality boutiques. Every Saturday morning, farmers sell their fresh organic produce and other products at Souk el Tayeb in a little square in the village. Its name "Saifi Village" comes from the Arabic word "summer" because summer is one of the nicest seasons in the country and the best time for tourists to come visit the village. Other similar projects are "Saifi Khan" and "Saifi Square".^[24]

Museum in Beirut, Lebanon. Sursock Palace, is a grand residence located on Rue Sursock in the city of Beirut in Lebanon. The palace, which was completed in 1860 by Moïse Sursock, was owned by Lady Cochrane Sursock, an advocate of preserving historic buildings in Lebanon.

The palace, a symbol of the Sursock family's rich history, is located on the historic Sursock Street, in the Rmeil district of Beirut. Sursock House is surrounded by gardens that can be hired for special events, such as weddings. The palace faces the Sursock Museum, a villa from 1912 that was bequeathed to the city of Beirut by Nicolas Sursock and became a museum in 1961. After the Lebanese Civil War, it took 20 years of careful restoration to restore the palace before it reopened in 2010.

It was damaged during the 2020 Beirut explosions, but there are plans to rebuild the palace.^[27]

The Lebanese Parliament is the national parliament of Lebanon. There are 128 members elected to a four-year term in multi-member constituencies, apportioned among Lebanon's diverse Christian and Muslim denominations but with half of the seats reserved for Christians and half reserved to Muslims per Constitutional Article 24. Lebanon has universal adult suffrage. Its major functions are to elect the President of the republic, to approve the government, and to approve laws and expenditure.

On 15 May 2013, the Parliament extended its mandate for 17 months, due to the deadlock over the electoral law. And, on 5 November 2014, the Parliament enacted another extension, thus keeping its mandate for an additional 31 months, until 20 June 2017, and on 16 June 2017 the Parliament in turn extended its own mandate an additional 11 months to hold elections according to a much-anticipated reformed electoral law. On 6 May 2018, a new parliament was elected in the 2018 general election, thus ending the mandate of the 2009 parliament who extended it for about 5 years.^[31]

Port authority in Beirut, Lebanon. The Port of Beirut was the main port in Lebanon on the eastern part of the Saint George Bay on Beirut's northern Mediterranean coast, west of the Beirut River. It was one of the largest and busiest ports on the Eastern Mediterranean.

On 4 August 2020, a large explosion, caused by improperly stored ammonium nitrate, occurred at the port, killing at least 221 people, injuring more than 6,000 and rendering 300,000 others homeless. Large sections of the port and its infrastructure were destroyed, including most of Beirut's grain reserves, and billions of dollars in damages were inflicted across the city. The Port of Beirut was forced to close, due to the large-scale damage caused by the explosions, with cargo being redirected to smaller ports, such as Tripoli and Tyre. Prior to the disaster, about 60 percent of Lebanon's imports came through the port, according to an S&P Global estimate.^[35]