Beirut Central District
The Beirut Central District, historically named "Al-Balad", is the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Also called downtown Beirut, it has been described as the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.” It is thousands of years old, with a traditional focus on business, finance, culture, and leisure.
The area is situated on the city's northern coast and is easily accessible from all parts of the city. This includes the adjacent Beirut Seaport and Rafik Hariri International Airport. Major roads converge on it or from boundaries to the east, south and west, or line its long seafront to the north.
After the city center was destroyed by the Lebanese Civil War, Beirut underwent thorough reconstruction and development, which restored its cultural and economic position in the region. A master plan for reconstructing the city was officially approved by the Lebanese Government in March 1994 after a series of detailed studies alongside public and professional seminars. On May 5, 1994, Solidere, the Lebanese company for the development and reconstruction of the Beirut Central District was formed, launching the largest urban redevelopment project of the 1990s. Ever since, Beirut Central District has evolved into an integrated business and commercial environment.
Today, Beirut Central District hosts the Lebanese Parliament, the Lebanese Government headquarters, the Beirut Stock Exchange, the regional offices of the United Nations, International Labour Organization, UNESCO, World Bank, as well as the headquarters of the ESCWA and the Union of Arab Banks.
Culture and heritage projects
Heritage Trail
The Heritage trail is a pedestrian circuit in the city's historic core and the traditional Beirut city center. The trail connects the main archaeological sites, places of historic interest, monuments and heritage buildings which are important to Beirut's past. The trail's path is marked by bronze medallions grouted into the sidewalk, with general or district panels and smaller monument panels made from glazed lava stone tiles with texts in three languages. The Heritage Trail is planned to start and end at the "City History Museum" on the ancient Tell Area. In an initial phase, pending the completion of the museum, the circuit will start at Beirut Souks, which retain the 2500-year-old street grid and Ottoman access gates, and several other archaeological remains like the Phoenician-Persian quarter, Byzantine mosaics, old city wall and moat. The trail is divided into four major sections:- First Route: The first route in the heritage trail covers the ancient archaeological "Tell Area". This site receives much attention due to its significant historical importance, integrating several neighboring vestiges: preserved part of the Canaanite wall and gate, Phoenician glacis, Hellenistic remains, crusader castle foundations above earlier Roman fortifications, and remains of the Ottoman citadel. A sinuous underground path guides visitors through Canaanite, Phoenician-Persian, Hellinistic, Roman, Byzantine and Medieval ages.
- Second Route: This section of the Heritage Trail will straddle along several Beirut landmarks and buildings like the Town Hall, Parliament, Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, Saint George Maronite Cathedral, and Garden of Forgiveness. The route will also stroll along the streets of Maarad leading up to the Grand Theater historic building and stone churches and Mamluk-era mosques.
- Third Route: This segment of the pedestrian circuit revolves around the "Roman Baths Garden" and the Grand Serail. The Roman Baths Garden at the base of the Serail Hill exhibits brick vaults, remains of ventilation networks, old water heating apparatuses, bathing areas among other archaeological remains from the bathhouse. The route also passes by gardens, fountains, Olive and Pine groves, a small amphitheatre, leading up to the hilltop where the route terminates at the Grand Serail, Hamidiyi Clock-tower, Council of Reconstruction and Development, and the St. Louis Capuchin crusader church.
- Fourth Route: The fourth route in the Heritage trail lies within the Beirut Souks area. This route contains the Phoenician-Persian quarter, Roman-Byzantine findings, part of the Medieval moat and the Ottoman wharf. Other points of interest along the route are the "Zawiyat Ibin Iraq" shrine, Majidiyya Mosque, and the "Antoun Bey Caravanserai". Another section of the route displays a late Roman house with an internal garden paved with mosaics and an elaborate water and drainage system, Byzantine portico paved with mosaics and labeled shops, Phoenician storage jars, and Mamluk potter kilns.
Shoreline Walk
Garden of Forgiveness
The Garden of Forgiveness is a project under development in the BCD. The garden is a socio-cultural project that commemorates the scars of the Lebanese Civil War, hence its location along the Green Line that once divided the city between warring factions. The garden's site is currently filled with uncovered ruins from over fifteen civilizations, most importantly the remains of the Roman city of Berytus. The square is surrounded by three mosques and three churches. The archaeological heritage of the site will be respected by referencing the Cardo and Decumanus. A proposal was also made to add a 9/11 memorial for all the Lebanese victims that went down in the attack.St. Georges Cathedral Museum
It is a crypt museum at the St. Georges Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Nejme Square. It is a small museum that reveals layers of Christian heritage belonging to a series of seven churches built on the same exact site starting 2000 years ago. The current cathedral stands on layers of relics where at every stage of its existence its people attempted to enlarge and beautify it, adding more murals and icons. The museum is a crypt underneath the cathedral where oil lamps, pipes, clay and terra cotta pots, miniature statues, and crosses found in various digs are displayed. Glass panels cover some of the crypt's relics and a glass partition separates the crypt from the church's altar directly above it. A narrow metal walkway leads visitors through the twelve stops of the crypt displaying tombstones, mosaics, burial chambers, engravings on stones and columns, well-preserved skeletons, a covered canal, and part of an ancient paved road. The ruins and findings were excavated by Lebanese archaeologists before the cathedral underwent restoration; they aimed at locating the Byzantine church Anastasis, which according to ancient texts is believed to be near Beirut's famous law school before it was leveled by the 551 earthquake.Planet Discovery
Planet Discovery is the only permanent children's museum in Lebanon. It is located in Souk Ayyas in Beirut Souks. The museum was inaugurated in 1999. Relocated to Beirut Souks from Minet El-Hosn, the museum is home to a variety of exhibitions on science and technology. The museum focuses on a handful of themes.Robert Mouawad Private Museum
The Robert Mouawad Private Museum is a private residence in the Wadi Abu Jamil quarter that was turned into a museum by Lebanese businessman Robert Mouawad. The palace was built by the Lebanese politician and art collector Henri Philippe Pharaoun in 1911 in Beirut. The museum houses a combination of art objects oriental and occidental cultures, and a rare collection of books, Chinese porcelain, ceramics, and other objects.The palace's architecture and design reflects Pharaoun's infatuation with Islamic Art and decorative wooden panels that date back to the 19th century, especially after his travels to Syria. Other displayed artifacts include Byzantine mosaics, Roman marble sculptures, jars and jugs, historical columns, pottery, ancient weapons, carpets, jewelry pieces, rare precious stones, Melkite Catholic icons, and preserved manuscripts.
Souk El Tayeb
is an open-air weekly market held every Saturday at Trablos street in Beirut Souks. The word souk is Arabic for market and tayeb means good. It began as an organic market, but soon changed to be a farmers’ market of fresh, local, and seasonal food products, that promotes small-scale farmers and producers.The market offers green vegetables, tomatoes, fresh aromatic herbs, pulses, Pomegranate juice, Kibbeh, freshly squeezed carrot juice, a honey distiller, Makdous, Lebanese pastries, fruits, olives, Rose Water, homemade pickled vegetables, Labneh, Manakish made on the Saj, Markook bread... etc. The market is organized and run by a non-profit cooperative organization. The organization work to promote and preserve Lebanese food and culinary traditions, rural heritage and natural environment. Souk el Tayeb has achieved over the years an economically viable and socially responsive approach to supporting small-scale farmers and producers.
Conservatoire Libanais
, or the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music, was founded in the 1930s by Wadia Sabra, composer of the national anthem of Lebanon. In 1953, President Camille Chamoun along with the Minister of Education, ordered the creation of a board to manage the conservatory and the "Friends of Music" foundation was created to help finance the conservatory.In 1959, the Conservatoire became 1959 an Autonomous National Institution under the supervision of the Minister of Education. During the Lebanese Civil War the National Conservatoire suffered great damage: all the instruments, documents and the library were looted and burnt. The Conservatoire resumed teaching in 1991 and was upgraded in 1995 to a National Institution of Higher Education.
The conservatory is headed by the composer and conductor Dr. Walid Gholmieh and has more than 4,800 students and 250 professors in more than 9 branches. The conservatory is home to the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra, the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra & the Lebanese Oriental Orchestra, that perform yearly more than 100 concerts and activities devoted to the conservatory's educational mission. Its main headquarters is on the Serail Hill in Downtown Beirut, directly facing the southern gate of the Grand Serail.