Martyrs' Monument was built to honor the hanging of a cross-confessional group of Lebanese Patriots on May 6, 1916, who had spoken against Turkish rule by Ottoman General Jamal Pasha. It is located at what is now known as Martyrs' Square in the heart of downtown

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

. It was created by Italian sculptor

Marino Mazzacurati Renato Marino Mazzacurati (22 July 1907 – 18 September 1969) was an Italian painter and sculptor belonging to the modern movement of the ''Scuola romana (Roman School)'', of eclectic styles and able within his career span to represent the a ...

, and inaugurated in 1960.

History

In 1930, during the

French Mandate The Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon (french: Mandat pour la Syrie et le Liban; ar, الانتداب الفرنسي على سوريا ولبنان, al-intidāb al-fransi 'ala suriya wa-lubnān) (1923−1946) was a League of Nations mandate fou ...

, the first commemorative sculpture was erected on the square in memory of Lebanese and Arab nationalists who were hanged during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

by the order of Ottoman military ruler

Djemal Pasha Ahmed Djemal ( ota, احمد جمال پاشا, Ahmet Cemâl Paşa; 6 May 1872 – 21 July 1922), also known as Cemal Pasha, was an Ottoman military leader and one of the Three Pashas that ruled the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Djemal w ...

. The original monument (right) by Youssef Hoyek represented two women, a Muslim and a Christian, holding hands in a symbolic gesture over an urn that represented their martyred children' ashes. Hoyek carved on their chests stylized shahada (لا إله إلا الله) and a small cross respectively. In 1956, President Camille Chamoun laid the foundation stone of a monument conceived by architect Sami Abdel Baki. It would have consisted of an arch soaring over an obelisk, but the monument was never completed. The current four-meter-high statue of the Martyrs that adorns the square was created by Italian artist Marino Mazzacurati and cast at Ahmad & Saeddine Abbas Foundry in the Saifi district. It was inaugurated by President Fouad Chehab in 1960. Due to damage inflicted during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

(1975-1990), the Martyrs’ monument was dismantled in 1996 and restored by the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik. The restoration intentionally preserved the marks of the war damage.

Timeline

* 1930: First commemorative sculpture was erected on Martyrs' Square in memory of Lebanese and Arab nationalists hanged during World War I by the Ottomans. * 1956: President

Camille Chamoun Camille Nimr Chamoun OM, ONC ( ar, كميل نمر شمعون, ''Kamīl Sham'ūn''; 3 April 1900 – 7 August 1987) was a Lebanese politician who served as President of Lebanon from 1952 to 1958. He was one of the country's main Christi ...

laid foundation stone of monument designed by Sami Abdel Baki which was never completed. * 1960: President Fouad Chehab inaugurated the new sculpture of the Martyrs' Monument, designed by

. * 1996: Monument was dismantled and restored by the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik.

Pictures

File:Place des martyrs, Beirut, Monument 2016 collage.jpg, Details of the monument File:Place des martyrs, Beirut, Monument 2016 5.jpg File:Place des martyrs, Beirut, Monument 2016 4.jpg File:Place des martyrs, Beirut, Monument 2016 3.jpg File:Place des martyrs, Beirut, Monument 2016 2.jpg

References

* Kassir, Samir (2003) Histoire de Beyrouth, Fayard, Paris. * Sassine Farès et Tuéni, Ghassan (direction) (2003) El-Bourj. Place de la Liberté et Porte du Levant, Editions Dar an-Nahar, Beyrouth {{DEFAULTSORT:Martyrs' Monument, Beirut Monuments and memorials in Lebanon Buildings and structures in Beirut Culture in Beirut Tourist attractions in Beirut

History

Timeline

Pictures

See also

References