![Riad Al Solh Square-Beirut-1960](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Riad_Al_Solh_Square-Beirut-1960.jpg)
Riad Al Solh Square () is a square in the heart of
downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
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 ...
.
Overview
The square was named after the first Prime Minister of independent Lebanon,
Riad Al Solh
Riad Reda Al Solh ( ar, رياض الصلح; 17 August 1894 – 17 July 1951) was the first prime minister of Lebanon after the country's independence. . It underwent many transformations throughout
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 ...
’s history.
Construction
The Damascus-Beirut road and a ring road around the old city were completed in 1863. The area became an urban square known as Sahat Assour. Used as a military parade ground and a cattle market for decades, the construction of a roofed market initiated a period of modernization. Later in 1943, Lebanon gained its independence and the square became a traffic island. Several new buildings were constructed in the early 1950s on its northern side, including the Capitole and Pan American buildings. In 1957, the square was renamed after it received the statue of
Riad Al-Solh
Riad Reda Al Solh ( ar, رياض الصلح; 17 August 1894 – 17 July 1951) was the first prime minister of Lebanon after the country's independence. , designed by
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 ...
. The statue was returned to its original location in 1998, after it was removed during 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 ...
(1975-1990).
History
Riad Al-Solh Square, named after the first Prime Minister of
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 ...
, underwent several transformations throughout the history of
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 ...
.
In Roman times, large public buildings dominated this area, formerly situated outside the Hellenistic city wall. Later, it became a gathering space outside the city gates.
The completion of the Damascus-Beirut road and a ring road around the old city in 1863 had a great impact on the area. It became an urban square known as Sahat Assour. After being used as a military parade ground and a cattle market for decades, the construction of a roofed market initiated a period of modernization. A public garden furnished with a kiosk was added, as well as a fountain built in honor of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. A municipal pharmacy and a telegraph service were built on the northern edge of the square.
![ساحة رياض الصلح](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A9_%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%84%D8%AD.jpg)
After
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 ...
gained its independence in 1943, the square became a traffic island. In the early 1950s, several new buildings were constructed on its northern side, including the Capitole and Pan American buildings. This modified the Ottoman character of the square, and completed the plans of modernization of the city. The square was renamed in 1957, when it received the statue of
Riad Al-Solh
Riad Reda Al Solh ( ar, رياض الصلح; 17 August 1894 – 17 July 1951) was the first prime minister of Lebanon after the country's independence. , designed by Marino Mazzacurati. Removed during 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 ...
(1975-1990), the statue was returned to its original location in 1998.
Timeline
![2019 Lebenese protests Beirut 7 November 2019](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/2019_Lebenese_protests_Beirut_7_November_2019.jpg)
Roman times: large public buildings dominated this area, later becoming a gathering space outside the city gates.
1863: The Damascus-Beirut road and a ring road around the old city were completed. The area became an urban square known as Sahat Assour.
1943: Lebanon gained its independence and the square became a traffic island.
Early 1950s: Several new buildings were constructed on its northern side, including the Capitole and Pan American buildings
1957: The square was renamed after it received the statue of Riad Al-Solh, designed by Marino Mazzacurati.
1998: The statue was returned to its original location after it was removed during the Civil War (1975-1990).
See also
*
Sultan Abdul Hamid II
*
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 ...
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.
*Hansen, Jens (1999) "Your Beirut is on my Desk: Ottomanizing Beirut under Sultan Abdulhamid (1876-1909), in Rowe,Peter and Sarkis, Hashim (Eds.) Projecting Beirut Episodes in the Construction and Reconstruction of a Modern City, Prestel, Munich; New York: 41-67.
*Kassir, Samir (2003) Histoire de Beyrouth, Fayard, Paris.
{{coord, 33, 53, 42.4, N, 35, 30, 10.4, E, display=title
Monuments and memorials in Lebanon
Squares in Beirut
National squares