Beirut City Hall, also known as the Municipality of Beirut, is a landmark building built in 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 the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

in 1924,A Global History of Architecture By Francis D. K. Ching, Mark M. Jarzombek, Vikramaditya Prakas page 712 and has become an architectural landmark in the downtown area of

Beirut Central District The Beirut Central District (BCD) or ''Centre Ville'' is the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Also called downtown Beirut, it has been described the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hu ...

. It features a yellow limestone facade and combines various architectural styles. The building is located on the intersection of

Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general and military theorist who served as the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War. An aggressive, even reckless commander at the First Marne, Flanders and Ar ...

Street and

Rue Weygand Rue Weygand is a street in Beirut's Central Business District. Originally, the street was named Rue Nouvelle as it was a new thoroughfare constructed as part of a modernization plan in 1915. Upon its completion, the street was renamed after Ma ...

in the city center. The building is in the Venetian and

Arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...

architectural styles, a mix that expresses the regional identity of the area. The building was restored after the

Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...

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.

Youssef Aftimus Youssef Aftimus (; 25 November 1866 – 10 September 1952) was a Lebanese civil engineer and architect who specialized in Moorish Revival architecture. Aftimus was the leading Lebanese architect and urban planner during the first half of the tw ...

won the design competition for

Beirut's City Hall Beirut City Hall, also known as the Municipality of Beirut, is a landmark building built in downtown Beirut, Lebanon in 1924,A Global History of Architecture By Francis D. K. Ching, Mark M. Jarzombek, Vikramaditya Prakas page 712 and has become ...

in 1923. He later served as the minister of public works in the 1926-1927 government led by

Auguste Basha Adib Auguste Adib Pacha (2 August 1859 – 9 July 1936) ( ar, أوغست أديب باشا) was the first Prime Minister of Lebanon, which at the time was a part of the Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon. He served in that capacity twice between 19 ...

Overview

The Municipality was built in 1924-25 by the Lebanese architect

Youssef Aftimos Youssef Aftimus (; 25 November 1866 – 10 September 1952) was a Lebanese civil engineer and architect who specialized in Moorish Revival architecture. Aftimus was the leading Lebanese architect and urban planner during the first half of the twe ...

. Damaged and abandoned during the

, it was restored by the year 2000.

Construction

Previously located in the

Petit Serail The Petit Serail ( ar, السراي الصغير / ALA-LC: ''as-sarāy as- ṣaghir''; literally "Little Saray") was a historic administrative Ottoman building in Beirut that housed the seat of the Wali of Syria and Beirut. It was situated to ...

Martyrs’ Square Martyrs' Square ( ; french: Place des Martyrs), historically known as "Al Burj" or "Place des Cannons", is the historical central public square of Beirut, Lebanon. Like the Martyr's Square in Damascus, it is named after the 6 May 1916 executi ...

, Beirut's Municipality building, constructed in 1925 on

Weygand Street Weygand is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Conrad Weygand (1890–1945), German chemist * Maxime Weygand (1867–1965), French military commander * Robert Weygand (born 1948), American politician * Zina Weygand Zina Weygand ( ...

was the masterpiece of Youssef Aftimos. The building is characterized by oriental-style façades. Conforming to the Neo-Moorish revivalist school – Youssef Aftimos being its main protagonist in Lebanon – its architecture expressed a reaction against the westernization of the country as well as the need to establish a more local or regional identity. A text inscribed on the building's entrance reflects this feeling: “These are the traces that identify us: seek out henceforth our traces.” Damaged and abandoned during the Civil War (1975-1990), the Municipality was restored by the year 2000.

History

Beirut's Municipality building, constructed in 1925, was the masterpiece of Youssef Aftimos. He began to work on it after his return to Lebanon from Chicago. Prior to the construction of the new building, the Municipality was located in the Petit Serail on Martyrs' Square. The project to build a new headquarters for the Municipality of Beirut, together with a small garden, a fountain and a clock tower dates back to 1880. At first, the building was planned on the northwest corner of Martyrs’ Square. An alternative location in today's

Riad Al-Solh Square Riad or Riyad may refer to: * Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia * Riyad, Mauritania * Riad (name), a given name and surname (including a list of people with the name, also Riyad or Riyadh) * Riad (architecture), a traditional Moroccan house ...

was also investigated, but the Weygand Street site was finally selected. The Municipality building is characterized by oriental-style façades. Conforming to the Neo-Moorish revivalist school – Youssef Aftimos being its main protagonist in Lebanon – its architecture expressed a reaction against the westernization of the country since the late 19th century, as well as the need to establish a more local or regional identity. A text inscribed on the building's entrance reflects this feeling: “These are the traces that identify us: seek out henceforth our traces.” Damaged and abandoned during the Civil War (1975-1990), the Municipality was restored by the year 2000.

Timeline

1880s: Project to build a new headquarters for the Municipality of Beirut together with a small garden, a fountain and a clock tower dates to these years. 1925: Constructed of Beirut's Municipality building by Youssef Aftimos. 1975-1990: Municipality building was damaged and abandoned during the Civil War. 2000: Restoration of the Municipality building.

References

* Davie, May (1997) The History and Evolution of Public Spaces in Beirut Central District,

Solidere Solidere s.a.l. is a Lebanese joint-stock company in charge of planning and redeveloping Beirut Central District following the conclusion, in 1990, of the Lebanese Civil War. By agreement with the government, Solidere has special powers of emin ...

, Beirut. * Saliba, Robert (2004) Beirut City Center Recovery: The Foch-Allenby and Etoile Conservation Area, Steidel, Göttingen.

References

Buildings and structures in Beirut Tourist attractions in Beirut {{Lebanon-struct-stub

Overview

Construction

History

Timeline

See also

References

References