Beirut Central District

Coordinates: 33°54′01″N 35°30′06″E / 33.9003°N 35.5017°E / 33.9003; 35.5017
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

33°54′01″N 35°30′06″E / 33.9003°N 35.5017°E / 33.9003; 35.5017

Beirut Central District
وسط بيروت التجاري
Central business district
Clockwise from top left: Downtown buildings, Beirut Souks, New Waterfront towers, Nejmeh Square, Rue Maarad, Saifi Village
Clockwise from top left: Downtown buildings, Beirut Souks, New Waterfront towers, Nejmeh Square, Rue Maarad, Saifi Village
CountryLebanon
GovernorateBeirut Governorate
Area
 • Total191 ha (472 acres)
Population
 • Total40,000[1]
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (UTC+03:00 +3)
Websitewww.solidere.com/beirut-city-center
Nejmeh square is the heart of the Beirut City Center.
Saifi neighborhood in the BCD
Rue Maarad is a main street in the central district.
The Waterfront towers in Zaitunay Bay at night

The Beirut Central District is the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Also called downtown Beirut,[2] it has been described as the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.”[3] It is thousands of years old, with a traditional focus of business, finance, culture, and leisure.[4]

The area is situated on the city's northern coast and is easily accessible from all parts of the city. This includes the adjacent

Rafik Hariri International Airport. Major roads converge on it or from boundaries to the east, south and west, or line its 1.5 km (1 mi) long seafront to the north.[5]

After the city center was destroyed 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[6] was formed, launching the largest urban redevelopment project of the 1990s.[7] Ever since, Beirut Central District has evolved into an integrated business and commercial environment.[8]

Today, Beirut Central District hosts the

ESCWA and the Union of Arab Banks
.

Culture and heritage projects

Heritage Trail

Ruins in the Roman Baths Garden
The Hamidiyi Clock-tower

The Heritage trail is a pedestrian circuit in the city's historic core and the traditional

Byzantine mosaics, old city wall and moat.[9]
The trail is divided into four major sections:

Shoreline Walk

The "Shoreline Walk" is a proposes sequence of connected spaces which form part of the reconstruction of the

French in 1918. Successive civilisations adjusted the coastline to create harbors that brought wealth to the city.[15] Along the Shoreline Walk five squares provide areas to pause and relax: Harbour Square, All Saints Square, Shoreline Gardens, Zeytoune Square and Santiyeh Garden. Research into each space revealed remnants of the character of the pre-war city that had been forgotten or destroyed. Each "memory" generated the development of each square's atmosphere, aligned with the facilities and functions required by a contemporary city to create a network of complementary spaces.[14]

Roman Columns on the Garden of Forgiveness site

Garden of Forgiveness

Main article: Garden of Forgiveness

The

9/11
memorial for all the Lebanese victims that went down in the attack.

St. Georges Cathedral Museum

It is a

Beirut's famous law school before it was leveled by the 551. earthquake.[16]

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 as a collaboration between Solidere, Parc de la Villette, and Palais de la Découverte. Relocated to Beirut Souks from Minet El-Hosn, the museum is home to a variety of exhibitions on science and technology offering hands-on-learning experiences for children of all ages. The museum focuses on a handful of themes like revisiting space up-close, exploring our body senses, learning about conception and reproduction, discovering physical phenomena ... etc. The Museum also has a day care center, theatre performances and puppet shows, arts and crafts workshops, and science labs.[17] They also have a summer camp program in collaboration with "Gifted and Talented".

Exterior of the Robert Mouawad Museum

Robert Mouawad Private Museum

The

Chinese porcelain, ceramics, and other significant objects.[18]

The palace's

manuscripts.[19]

Souk El Tayeb

Main article: Souk el Tayeb

Souk el Tayeb is an open-air weekly market held every Saturday at Trablos street in Beirut Souks (previously located in Saifi).[20] The word souk is Arabic for market and tayeb means good in terms of taste and character. It began in its concept 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.[21]

The market offers green vegetables, tomatoes, fresh aromatic herbs,

Markook bread ... etc.[22] The market is organized and run by a non-profit cooperative organization headquartered on Rue Gouraud. The organization works on many levels nationally and internationally to promote and preserve Lebanese food and culinary traditions, rural heritage and natural environment.[23] Souk el Tayeb has achieved over the years an economically viable and socially responsive approach to supporting small-scale farmers and producers, contributing to local community development initiatives, and educating about food traditions and heritage.[24]

Conservatoire Libanais

Main article: Conservatoire Libanais

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 (1975-1991) 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.[25]

The conservatory is headed by the well-known composer and conductor Dr.

Grand Serail
.

Beirut City History Museum

The

Medieval and Ottoman periods. Shortly after Solidere commissioned French architect Michel Macary, known for his design of the Louvre extension, to undertake the initial study of the Tell and explore the concept of the site specific museum. The museum's design will be integrated with the Martyrs Square underground parking, the Petit Serail
and the landscaped garden at the Martyrs Square and Tell site.

Solidere commissioned renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano to study the square's architectural and urban design, including the Beirut City History Museum, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture. In order to safeguard the location while providing vehicle and pedestrian access in a heavy use environment, Solidere commissioned a study of three road options and a detailed design of the most appropriate one. The chosen option incorporates a two-way road and bridge structure on the east side of the Tell and underpasses to ensure pedestrian connection to the museum.[citation needed]

Civic institutions

After the reconstruction, the city center regained its role as the focus of civic life in

Parliament and its related offices, the Government's headquarters, and the Beirut Municipality. The BCD also has a dense concentration of public agencies, important ministries, and governmental offices, some of which are:

Lebanese Parliament House
  • Ministry of Culture and Higher Education
  • Ministry of the Displaced
  • Lebanese Customs
  • Investment Development Authority (IDAL)
  • National Economic and Social Council
  • Council of Reconstruction and Development (CDR)
  • Ministry of Finance
  • Ministry of Transportation
  • National Statistics Bureau
  • Post and Telecommunications
  • Ministry of State of Administrative Reform
  • Public Audit Court
Facade of the Beirut City Hall

Beirut City Hall

Dating back to 1934,

Arabesque architectural styles, a mix that expresses the regional identity of the area. The building was restored after the Lebanese Civil War
and it currently houses the office of the Governor of Beirut and the municipal council. It is open to the public and for official registration of documents.

Grand Serail

Main article:
Grand Serail

Built in 1853 as an army barracks atop a hill in central Beirut, the Grand Serail currently hosts the office of the Prime Minister of Lebanon. The Grand Serail is a historic building, the most important of three Ottoman monuments on the Serail hill. The other two are the Council for Development and Reconstruction and the Hamidiyyeh clock tower. The Grand Serail followed the architectural design epitomizing the new Ottoman military organization. The building was severely damaged in the events of the Lebanese Civil War; its reconstruction took 900 work days and was completed in 1998. The Serail covers 39,700 square meters of floor space. The Grand Serail's four wings are disposed around a large courtyard which flanked at the center by a limestone and Carrera marble fountain. Both the exterior and interior facades are covered by a total of 588 arches and arcades. The two upper floors comprise the Prime Minister's residence and office, offices for his staff, as well as the cabinet room and ministers' offices. The ground floor consists of a banquet hall, two receptions areas, a press room and a courtyard. An underground level includes a car-park, offices and rooms for personnel. In all the Grand Serail includes 430 rooms and chambers in addition to the quarters for the maintenance and other service rooms.

Squares and public spaces

A pedestrian street in the Beirut city center

The Beirut Central District contains over 60 gardens, squares and open spaces. These spaces comprise landscaped streets, gardens, historical squares, pedestrian areas and sea promenades thus totaling to an area of 96 acres (39 ha) of open spaces. This makes the BCD home to 50% of the entire public spaces in Beirut, despite the fact that the BCD itself is only 10% of Beirut City. These public spaces gradually developed into a thriving social scene for the Beirut residents, thanks in part to the city's mild weather. City officials have imposed several plans to attract the urban users and the nature lovers to Beirut's squares and spaces. One of the plans is a "temporary uses" policy focused on a rambla pedestrian spine that links the existing city center and Beirut Souks northwards to the terraced corniche and promenade. The spine is now open for jogging and cycling, with surrounding roads being closed off to traffic on the weekends. They also include street markets and festivals, health and environment awareness campaigns, cat walks and dog shows.

National Unity Square

National Unity Square is a landscaped design garden on the southern slope of the

Grand Serail’s façade.[28][29]

Khalil Gibran Garden

This popular Beirut destination was named after the famous Lebanese-American Poet

Khalil Gibran. With an area of 6000 square meters, this garden was landscaped to emphasize its status as a main entrance to the city center. Its landscaped design consists of two circular lawns looking out into the garden and the UN House. Trees surround a blue water fountain and a brick-tiled platform, with six obelisks marking the gates of the garden. Several sculptures of abstract art inspired by Khalil Gibran dot the location. The space also witnessed numerous political protests in the past years adding to the venue's strategic importance. It also hosts, since 2005, a permanent sit-in tent for the demand of the release of Lebanese prisoners in Syria
.

Omar Daouk Square in the Beirut Central District
Nejmeh Square in Beirut Central District

Omar Daouk Square

The Omar Daouk Square is named after the Lebanese politician Omar beik Daouk. This 1,006 square meter square was designed by Mohammad Halawi around a bust by Maguerditch Mazmanian of Omar Daouk himself. The design of the Omar Daouk Square introduces three green terraces that soften the site incline, since it lies on the inclined Omar

Daouk Street. The trees and flowers surrounding it create an attractive open area where one can sit and rest.[30]

Nejmeh Square

Nejmeh Square, or Place de l'Étoile, is the central square in the Downtown area. It is home to the Lebanese Parliament and its complementary buildings, two cathedrals, a museum, and several cafes and restaurants. Most notable for its Art Deco architecture, the square has become a recognizable icon of Beirut City worldwide.

The jewel of the square is a 1930s clock-tower with its four-faced Rolex clock. The clock tower was a gift from Lebanese-Mexican émigré Michel Abed.[31] Today, the square is filled with tourists and locals who come here to dine, walk or enjoy the street life. The square is also known for its noticeable population of pigeons.

In 1994, archaeological diggings underneath the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in

Law School of Berytus.[32][33][34]

Waterside Park

An ambitious future project, this park will be the largest park in the city of Beirut once completed. 78,000 square meters of green space will comprise this park and help transform it into a recreational attraction for the city and its metropolitan area. It will host a public performance space, an open-air amphitheater, retail kiosks, a main entrance pavilion, and will be directly connected to the Sea Corniche. The original plans for the park included a prepared strip along its northwestern edge designed to accommodate the Formula One pits, and other temporary Formula One facilities during Grand Prix events. However, plans for the future Formula One circuit have been abandoned due to excessive demands from the Formula One Committee.

The Roman Baths Garden

Roman Baths Garden

The "Roman Baths" is a landscaped public space that lies on the eastern slope of the

World Music Day
.

Sea Corniche

Once the Zaitounay Bay, the Corniche promenade, the Eastern Marina, and the Beirut Port First Basin promenade are completed, the city center will provide an uninterrupted 3.5 km (2 mi) corniche along Beirut's shoreline. This new addition will be four times the area of the existing Corniche Beirut. The new Sea Corniche will consist of a three-decked promenade, and will be more than 1.3 km (1 mi) long and between 110 and 45 meters in width. The master plan for the Corniche intends to transform it into a socially active pedestrian arena with distributed "activity spots" for sports, recreation and children activities.

Castle Square Belvedere Park

Situated in the

medieval castle and an Ottoman barrack. Water features and fountains were created on either side of the citadel to highlight the locations of both the ancient harbor and the medieval moat.[citation needed
]

Imam Ouzai Square

Imam Ouzai Square

The Imam Ouzai Square is part of the Beirut Souks project in the BCD. The square marks the main entrance to the souks from Rue Weygand. The square's floor is tiled with black basalt stone including an oval with outlines of the old Roman pavement, and it hosts an old olive tree in its center. Architecturally speaking, the design of the square integrates several features from its old heritage as well as several elements of modernity. A cupola-topped prayer hall to the left creates a virtual entrance to the square by mirroring a Mamluk-era shrine on the right. Some of the squares features are curved white marble planters surrounding Ibn Iraq monument, white marble circular planters with trees and shrubs; white marble circular steps guiding to Bab Idriss and the Souks upper floors; seating spaces facing the shop fronts, providing shade and emphasizing the entrance towards Souk Tawileh. The square also offers passages to Souk Sayyour and the Gold Souks.[36]

Zeytouneh Square

Situated at the southernmost point of the Shoreline Walk, Zeytouneh Square forms a key link connecting the different sectors of the central district. Designed by Gustafson-Porter, the company of renowned American landscape architect and artist Kathryn Gustafson, the 600-sq-meters square was inaugurated in 2011, after eight years of designing, planning and construction works.[37] Described by the square's architects as a "celebration of modern Beirut and place for cultural events", the square's terraces were made to utilize the existing slope to provide an informal amphitheater space from which concerts, festivals and films can be viewed.[citation needed] The surface of the Zeytouneh Square extends across the roads to the surrounding buildings, unifying the square as one large space. The bold paving patterns were inspired from the Black and White patterning found in traditional Lebanese houses, with the paving stripes changing with the topography of the landscape.[38] Provided with free wireless internet access, the square's design was complemented with stone benches and Albizia trees, to gradually help the square become a popular hangout place.[39]

Samir Kassir Garden

Samir Kassir Square

Main article: Samir Kassir Square

A square on

conservation, and community development
and improvement.

Martyrs' Square

Main article: Martyrs' Square, Beirut
The "Old Opera House" on Martyrs' Square

Synonymous with Lebanon's

sit-ins, demonstrations, and protests of the Cedar Revolution in 2005. Solidere recently commissioned the re-designing and landscaping of the square, after an international urban design competition for the Martyrs' Square axis was conducted by an international organization.[43]

Khan Antoun Bey Square

"Khan Antoun Bey Square" is an under-construction project located in the northern section of the

souqs. The square will pay tribute to this by including water features, re-installing the original harbor wall, and consolidating the remains of the ancient city wall with the square's design.[44]

Rafik Hariri
Memorial Garden

Rafik Hariri Memorial Garden

The "Rafik Hariri Memorial Garden" is a

church bells and the Islamic call to prayer for five minutes. In the same five minutes, a flame also rises from a 4-meter statue in the garden in the middle of five bronze Lebanese flags.[citation needed
]

Neighborhoods

Foch-Allenby neighborhood
Typical Lebanese houses in the Wadi Abu Jamil neighborhood

Religious buildings

Saint George Maronite Cathedral
sit side by side in Beirut's central district

The Beirut City Center is one of the most religiously diverse areas in the world. Mosques and churches lie side by side on the BCD's streets. Several of these churches and mosques are hundreds of years old and are of high archaeological significance. In total, the BCD is home to ten churches, six mosques, and one synagogue located in the Wadi Abu Jamil neighborhood. Despite the severe destruction incurred on these buildings during the Civil War, they have been restored to their prior shape and are all currently in use. During religious holidays and occasions, the churches and mosques host social gatherings, charity events, religious competitions, chorus recitals of religious verses, and mass prayers attended by Lebanon's top political figures.

Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque

Main article: Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque

The

Sunni Muslim
denomination in Lebanon.

Grand Omari Mosque

The Grand Omari Mosque

Before being eclipsed by

Sahabah names on the walls and stolen the hairs. During the reconstruction of the Beirut Central District, the mosque was renovated and enlarged to its current area.[46]

Saint George Maronite Cathedral

Main article:
Saint George Maronite Cathedral

The

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in the city of Rome. The walls of the church are decorated with stucco and marble. The armchair that Pope John Paul II used during his visit to Lebanon in May 1997 has been preserved in the cathedral's Retroquire
.

St. Georges Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Main article: Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral
Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Nejme Square

The

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Georges, completed in 1772, is located directly on Nejme Square and is the oldest orthodox church in Beirut. Its location is believed to be directly adjacent to the site of the renowned Roman Law School of Beirut. The church underwent several restorations in its history due to natural disasters, erosion, and intentional destruction. During the Lebanese Civil War, the church was burned and destroyed with most of its belongings stolen. The Greek Orthodox Archbishopric of Beirut began its renovation on October 16, 1995. The excavation at the site led to the discovery of the remains of three other churches and part of the Roman colonnades. These artifacts were incorporated into an underground museum directly located below the cathedral.[47]

St. Nishan Armenian Orthodox Church

The Armenian Orthodox Church of St. Nishan

This is the only church dedicated for the

Serail Hill facing the Serail and the Conservatoire Libanais
. Its name means "holy sign", referring to an important relic. The church's exterior is covered with white limestone tiles, while its roof is covered with red bricks and a grey lead dome.

St. Elie Armenian Catholic Cathedral

The Catholic Armenian church of St. Elie

The first

Armenian Catholic cathedral to be constructed in Beirut, its construction began with the Armenian Catholic Archbishop in 1860. It was severely damaged during the civil war, due to its location directly along the Green Line
. The Archbishopric took control of it in the early 1990s and began restoration works. The church was destroyed several times in history, most notably when it was torn down to be expanded in 1901 and for the construction of the Saints' Convent in 1950.

Amir Assaf Mosque

The Amir Assaf Mosque is located on

Fakhr-al-Din II, governor of Beirut and Mount Lebanon.[48]

Emir Munzer Mosque

Named after the Prince Munzer Bin Suleiman, this mosque is also called the "Nafoura" (which means Fountain) due to the presence of an ancient fountain in its courtyard. The mosque was completed in 1620 during the reign of

Fakhr-al-Din II, the Prince of Mount Lebanon
. The mosque contains six Roman columns in its center.

Saint Elias Greek Catholic Cathedral

The Saint Elias Cathedral is located along Nejme Square in the

oculi. The cathedral was restored by the archdiocese in 1994, after the damages caused by the war. The restoration works began at the end of 2003 and ended in May 2006.[49]

National Evangelical Church

National Evangelical Church of Beirut
Main article: National Evangelical Church of Beirut

The National Evangelical Church of Beirut is the first native

oriental with a red-brick roof.[50]

Saint Louis Capuchin Church

Main article:
Saint Louis Des Capucins

The Saint Louis Capuchin Church is a

campanile.[51]

All Saints Anglican Church

All Saints church was established in 1912. The church was founded by the sea shore close to

Anglicans, joined the church since then. All Saints is one of 27 Anglican/Episcopal churches in the territories under the jurisdiction of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. All Saints is the only Anglican Church in Lebanon.[52]

International and foreign institutions

The Beirut Central District has become the heart of diplomatic life in Lebanon due to the secure environment, high-tech amenities, and modern services that it enjoys. Benefiting from the geographic location of the city center and the proximity to official and business institutions, Downtown Beirut has become the center for many international institutions, business and cultural delegations, and foreign embassies.[53] As such, several countries have become officially represented in the city center through embassies, business and cultural cooperation agencies, humanitarian NGOs, and consulates.[54] Some of these are:

UN House which hosts United Nations headquarters

UN House

A landmark development at the southern gateway to the city center, overlooking

intelligent building equipped with state-of-the-art technology. It comprises 43,000 square meters of floor space including offices, a library, language lab facilities, a conference center, storage, parking and retail space. The UN House hosts important conferences throughout the year.[55][56]

Shopping and dining

Chanel store in the BCD
Sidewalk Cafes are a trademark of the BCD

The city center houses more than 350 retail outlets distributed along its streets and quarters. Shopping in the city center mainly consists of upscale fashion boutique chains, world-renowned designer shops, high-end stores, and luxury boutiques boasting the most expensive designer labels. Stores sell fashion clothing, accessories, jewelry, furniture, Hi-Fi and electronic equipment, records and books, handicrafts and gifts, art and antiques. The stores are mostly at street level, but recently some have expanded onto upper floors. Buildings or group of buildings are dedicated to department stores. Starting from the conservation area, stores are spreading to other areas to finally culminate in the Beirut Souks.

There are over 100 cafes, restaurants, pubs and nightclubs open in the Beirut Central District. Restaurants offer a variety of French, Italian, American, Lebanese, Chinese, Japanese and other Asian cuisines. Sidewalk cafes are a trademark of the Downtown area, with tens of them lining the streets. They range from oriental cafes serving Turkish coffee and Shisha to global franchises such as Starbucks.

Beirut Souks

Souk Tawileh
Main article: Beirut Souks

The

Pull and Bear
.

The northern section of Beirut Souks houses an entertainment complex designed by Paris-based architecture firm Valode & Pistre. A mega entertainment destination, it comprises 14 cinemas with two VIP halls served by large lounge and concession areas. At Allenby Street Level, high-end boutiques line the sides while the adjacent L-shaped building hosts the cafes and restaurants. The northern souks also have a large department store designed by the international architecture and design firm Zaha Hadid Architects, based in Clerkenwell, London.

Art and music

Street Art in front of a Cartier
shop
The Quartier des Arts at the Saifi Village
Music Hall

Beirut is the center of the entertainment business and art scene in the region. A thriving artistic center, Beirut has become a new regional hub for exhibitions, art galleries, and music performances. Local, regional and international exhibitions are regularly organized around the quarters of the city center. Those exhibitions cover a varied array of topics spanning sculptures, paintings, architecture and urban planning, manuscripts and archives, photography, handicrafts, and various other technical, commercial, industrial, and scientific themes. Venues that host these exhibitions range from historic buildings, cultural centers, media headquarters, bookstores and cafes to wholly dedicated exhibition centers and specialized display galleries. Also, open spaces often host numerous temporary art galleries and public shows.

Music Hall
.

Beirut Central District gradually regained, as well as evolved, its role as the cultural and literature pivot of the capital. Major bookstores and libraries in the country are located here, and constantly host book signings, book launching, seminars and conferences by world-renowned, regional and local authors. Major bookstores are Librarie Antoune, Al Bourj Bookstore, Virgin Megastores, and Sored bookstore; as well as a planned public library on Martyrs' Square. The central district is also home to the headquarters of the acclaimed Pan-Middle East newspapers An-Nahar, The Daily Star, and L'Orient-Le Jour. In 2010, Beirut was named the World Book Capital, celebrations and activities of the occasion were held in the BIEL center in the central district. The central district is home to the annual Beirut Arab & International Book Fair, that features works and authors from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq, Palestine and Egypt and several others, with some 180 Lebanese publishers, and dozens more from the rest of the Arab world participating.[58] Another major Book Fair held in the central district is the Francophone Book Fair. The fair gathers together authors and personalities from Europe, North Africa and Lebanon, with a different country being chosen as the guest of honor each year.[59] In its twienth year, the fair welcomed nearly 100,000 visitors.[60] In 2012, The Arab and International Book Fair entered its 56th year, while the Francophone Book Fair turned twenty.

During the summer season, the new waterfront in the Beirut Central District becomes a gigantic concert arena that hosts world-class performers and shows. The list of performers at the new waterfront district includes

Armin Van Buuren, Enrique Iglesias, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fairuz, Evanescence, Taio Cruz, Scorpions
... etc.

Majida El Roumi performs in a festival in Martyrs' Square

Beirut Music and Art Festival

2011 witnessed the launching of the Beirut Music and Art Festival, an annual event to take place at

Goran Bregovic, Ilham al-Madfai, Marcel Khalife, Natacha Atlas, Roger Hodgson and many more.[61]

Beirut Jazz Festival

The Beirut Jazz Festival is an annual music festival and celebration that runs for almost ten days each year.

Arabic Music into western improvisational musical ideas whilst experimenting with traditional music genres from diverse parts of the world".[63]
Some of the jazz artists who have taken part in the festival recently are Rabih Abou-Khalil, Charbel Rouhana, Marcus Miller, Patti Austin, Randy Crawford, Joe Sample, Arturo Sandoval, Charlie Winston, Chucho Valdés and several others.

Fête de la Musique

Main article: Fête de la Musique

Initiated in

Rue Hamra and Rue Gouraud). "Time Out Beirut" magazine described the festival saying that "it encourages people to see great free music and break down the barriers between the streets and the players, it’s a democratising evening of musical discovery".[64]

Beirut Celebrates

"Beirut Celebrates" is the name of the annual

Christmas Lights, Lighting of the Christmas tree, Firework shows, singing carols, marching bands, Santa floats, and many more events.[67]

Beirut International Marathon

Main article: Beirut Marathon

"Beirut International Marathon" is an annual event in the Beirut Central District that started on October 19, 2003. It is organized by the non-profit

International Association of Athletics Federations, the "Power of Sports" award from the AIPSF, and the Laureus World Sports Awards. The marathon's trail starts at a different point in the Beirut Central District each year but always terminates at Martyrs' Square. The marathon constitutes eight races: the 42 kilometer race, the 42 kilometer race (wheelchair), 42 kilometer relay, the 10 kilometer fun run, the 10,000 meters run, the 10,000 meters run (wheelchair), the 5 kilometer youth run, the one kilometer "run with mom" race.[69] In 2009, the Beirut Marathon nearly drew 33,000 runners covering various distances from 10 kilometers to the traditional 42 kilometers.[70]

"Beirut Chants" Festival

Beirut Chants is a sacred music festival launched in 2007 by

Notre Dame University Choir, Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra, Abeer Nehme, Jeff Cohen, Abdel Rahman El Bacha, Vadym Kholodenko, among many others.[72][73] Mounir Douaidy, General Manager of Solidere, described his company's sponsorship of the festival as "supporting and endorsing all arts and culture activities in Beirut Central District aiming to revive Beirut’s role as a key multicultural hub in the Middle East."[74] The festival's fifth edition in 2012 attracted large crowds counting more than 20,000 persons from all over Lebanon.[75]

New Waterfront District

Seafront Towers at Zaitunay Bay, Downtown Beirut

A good portion of the

Mediterranean, providing an uninterrupted 3.5-km extension of the city shoreline. The Waterfront District is a prime, active, multi-use district with financial, business, residential, tourist and leisure facilities and extensive green areas and bold architecture, that overlooks the Saint George Bay and Mount Lebanon. When fully completed, it will contain two marinas, a waterside city park, Corniche and quayside promenades, with 29 ha of new waterside development land.[76] The entire district comprises 73 hectares of reclaimed land north of the old seashore, enclosed within a terraced sea defense system designed to withstand centennial storms. Together with the Seaside Park, Corniche Beirut and the West Marina with land, quays and breakwater around, it includes development blocks and public domain extending north of Beirut Souks area to reach the corniche promenade, and east of the Seaside Park to reach the first basin of the Port of Beirut
and the planned East Marina. The Seaside Park was recently the subject of a design competition among six international landscape architectural firms.

Solidere's phasing strategy includes dedicating a carefully planned zone for temporary uses while allowing perimeter development to take place. The strategy spatially focuses on a pedestrian spine that links the existing city center and Beirut Souks to the terraced waterfront corniche promenades. The spine is open for walking, jogging, cycling, kiting and other similar activities. Solidere created cultural, recreational and commercial attractions via constructing structures and open spaces with a wide-ranging program of activities, such as the Beirut Exhibition Center. Other temporary structures in the New Waterfront are a sports center, a beach club, a winter sky bar, and many restaurants and cafes. An area in the eastern part of the district was leased to Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center (BIEL); it includes exhibition halls, conference areas, a banquet pavilion and a seaside restaurant.[77]

The marine works on the Waterfront District includes a submerged reef as first defense line extending 100 m seawards along the full extent of the Corniche - 80 reinforced concrete caissons, each 17.5 m wide, 27.75 m long and 10.5 m high, as second defense line. The superstructure provides two-level promenades over 1.3 km. Back-filling behind them provides a stabilizing bond and a third promenade, 5.5 m above sea level.[78]
On September 16, 2012, the New Waterfront District was the site of a huge mass held by the pope. The mass was the culmination of Pope Benedict XVI's three-day visit to Lebanon.[79] An estimated 350,000 people gathered on the waterfront for the event.[80]

West Marina

Boats docked in front of the Marina Towers

Beirut Central District has two marinas, to the west and east of the new Waterfront district. Beirut West Marina is to the west of the central district, within short walking distance of the

Lebanese Government, which also includes planned underground corniche car park. Construction on the East Marina will commence in early 2013 in the northeast quarter of the Waterfront District.[81]

Beirut Exhibition Center

Beirut Exhibition Center is the first structure dedicated to contemporary art in Beirut's new waterfront district. It is composed of 1200 square meters of art gallery space, with its exterior shell covered in reflective mirror-like steel. Working with the topography, the building sits in a reflective pool of water that further reflects both the building and its surroundings, including a bamboo grove to the north and a sculpture garden to the south.[82] The center is designed by L.E.FT, an architecture and landscape design firm based in New York City. L.E.FT described the center saying: "The mirror facades allow the Beirut Exhibition Center to act as a scale reflecting the continuously changing landscape in the waterfront district. The city becomes a work of art, an abstract expressionist painting in motion. Beirut finally sees itself in the mirror."[83] An adjacent landscape garden and an outdoor cafe are annexed to the Beirut Exhibition Center.

Zaitunay Bay

Zaitunay Bay

Zaitunay Bay is a

French Cuisine.[85]

Zaitunay Bay is a joint venture between

MIT and the Linked Hybrid complex in Beijing. The project is conceived as an urban beach, extending the existing Corniche Beirut and the new sea promenade in a series of overlapping platforms, reminiscent of sea waves, provide extensive outdoor spaces. These open public spaces in the Bay host cultural events, concerts, art exhibitions and a variety of seasonal celebrations. The one-floor construction remains below street level, with the roofs forming a continuation of the Corniche Beirut. The landscape design for the entry plaza, quayside and corniche sidewalk, create open-air terraces in the form of a ‘stone beach’ over the restaurants and shops.[86] Zaitunay Bay is accessible to the general public with the promenade on the upper level linking the public sidewalk to the marina boardwalk in a vehicle-free environment accessible through 7 pedestrian access points with adjacent underground public parking facilities.[87] The Yacht Club accommodates three basement levels; exclusive commercial shops at marina level; a yacht club and 53 state-of-the-art furnished and serviced apartments on the upper three levels, with one, two and three bedrooms. Two activity centers provide all sea-related services and water sports activities such as rentals for boats, yachts and jet-skis, fishing and scuba diving trips, boat rides, and water-skiing and para-sailing lessons.[88] "Zaitunay", literally meaning olives, is the old name of the area in the pre-Lebanese Civil War
era.

Beirut International Exhibition & Leisure Center

BIEL while hosting the Francophone Book Fair

The

Mediterranean-facing facade that can accommodate up to 1500-seated guests for weddings, gala dinners, cocktail receptions, corporate launchings, conferences and other events.[92] BIEL also features 1200 square meters of underground multi-purpose conference halls: grand hall with a 9000 persons capacity, and two conference rooms with a 700 persons capacity each.[93]

Beirut Fitness Center

The Beirut Fitness Center is developed by Solidere on a designated stretch within the New Waterfront District for temporary programs that are expected to operate for a period of 8–10 years. The aim behind the center is to establish activities that will generate new public destinations that connect to the planned central pedestrian spine, up to Beirut Souks and Rue Weygand. The center covers 8700 m2 serving up to 2000 members. A landscaped park is underway at a new reference level, 6 meters lower than the street level. Unlike conventional urban sports facilities and gyms, which are typically closed and contained within buildings, Beirut Fitness Center relies on its connection and exposure to outdoor spaces. The project develops around a 1260 m2 outdoor courtyard and 2 outdoor tennis courts of 1222 m2 located at the new reference level. Indoor activity spaces including fitness and aquatic zones, squash courts, reading rooms, and multipurpose spaces lie along the periphery of the outdoor courtyard and tennis courts separated only by clear glazed full-height operable panels. At this level, services including showers, lockers, treatment rooms and technical areas are inserted in a long narrow band along the north–south axis on the western side of the plot. The street level ground is highlighted by 5690 m2 of red epoxy finished concrete floor extending on the totality of the surface defining the open and permeable boundaries of the center, specifically in connection to the pedestrian spine on the eastern edge. There is no built mass on the ground level, only transparent planes 2.2 meters high that frame the courtyard and tennis courts below, allowing the public to overlook sports and related activities through the vertical open-air transparent facades. The automobiles’ elliptical track and parking spots around the courts and the open voids frame the project's activities. The entrance and drop-off to the fitness center are accessed from the western side of the site and highlighted with a 40 m long portico.[citation needed]

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