Beirut
Once known as the ‘Paris of the East’, Beirut commands a magnificent position, thrust into the Mediterranean. Behind the city are towering mountains, visible when the traffic haze settles down. The Corniche seafront boasts beaches, restaurants, theatres and a dazzling variety of shops and restaurants. Beirut suffered greatly from Lebanon’s 16-year civil war, but following an impressive and ongoing process of reconstruction, the city is once again one of the most popular tourist and business destinations in the Middle East. The so-called ‘Green Line’ which, during the war, divided the city into East and West, has now gone, and two competing centres have grown up several kilometres apart. One is Hamra in West Beirut, where the American University is located along with the majority of hotels. The other is Achrafieh in East Beirut, home to the Université St Joseph and an increasing number of smart shops and expensive restaurants. Beirut’s Central District, known as Solidere (the company in charge of the reconstruction programme), is seeing a spectacular number of modern buildings and office blocks springing up everywhere. After massive landfill, two new marinas, a new seaside promenade and a green park are also planned. While many of the new buildings look very modern, Beirut’s old souks (covered markets) are being reconstructed in an authentic way. The Turkish bath at Al-Nouzha provides another glimpse of the old Beirut. Lebanon’s only museum, the Beirut National Museum, has been rehabilitated and is constantly updating its interesting collection. On the western tip of Beirut, Raouche is an increasingly popular district with a lively seaside promenade. Its famous landmark, the Pigeon Rocks, are huge formations standing like sentinels off the coast.
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