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Hamra Street or Rue Hamra ( ar, شارع الحمراء) is one of the main streets of the city 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 ...
,
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 ...
, and one of the main economic and diplomatic hubs of Beirut. It is located in the neighborhood of the same name,
Hamra. Its technical name is Rue 31. Due to the numerous sidewalk cafes and theatres, Hamra Street was the centre of intellectual activity in Beirut during the 1960s and 1970s. Before 1975, Hamra Street and the surrounding district was known as Beirut's trendiest, though in the post-war period it has arguably been eclipsed by
Rue Monot
Rue Monnot ( ar, شارع مونو), is a street in Beirut, Lebanon. It is located east of Beirut Central District, in the Sodeco neighborhood of the Achrafieh district, and named after Father Ambroise Monnot, a French Jesuit who founded the Sain ...
in
Ashrafieh
Achrafieh ( ar, الأشرفية) is an upper-class area in eastern Beirut, Lebanon. In strictly administrative terms, the name refers to a sector (''secteur'') centred on Sassine Square, the highest point in the city, as well as a broader quart ...
,
Rue Gouraud
Rue Gouraud () is a mixed residential and commercial street in Gemmayzeh, a neighborhood in the Rmeil district of Beirut in Lebanon. It is named after French General Henri Gouraud. Gemmayze, and Rue Gouraud specifically, and competes with the ...
in
Gemmayzeh
Rue Gouraud () is a mixed residential and commercial street in Gemmayzeh, a neighborhood in the Rmeil district of Beirut in Lebanon. It is named after French General Henri Gouraud. Gemmayze, and Rue Gouraud specifically, and competes with th ...
,
Rue Verdun
Rue Verdun, or Verdun Street, is an upscale commercial and residential street in Beirut, Lebanon. The street, which is a major shopping center and tourist attraction, was named in honor of the Battle of Verdun during World War I. It is official ...
, and
downtown area. In the mid 1990s, the Municipality of Beirut gave a face lift to the street to reattract tourists all year round. Hamra Street was known as Beirut's
Champs Elysées
Champs may refer to:
Music
* The Champs, a U.S. instrumental music group
* Champs (Brazilian band), a Brazilian boy band
* Champs (British band), a British folk- and indie rock-influenced band
* The Fucking Champs, a U.S. progressive heavy metal ...
, as it was frequented by tourists all year round.
Today it is a commercial district with numerous prestigious universities (such as:
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...
,
Lebanese American University
The Lebanese American University (LAU) ( ar, الجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية) is a secular and private American university located in Lebanon. It is chartered by the board of regents of the University of the State of New Y ...
, and
Haigazian University
Haigazian University ( hy, Հայկազեան Համալսարան, pronounced ''Haygazyan Hamalsaran''; ar, جامعة هايكازيان) is a higher education institution founded in 1955 in Beirut, Lebanon as Haigazian College. For a brief pe ...
), hotels, furnished apartments, libraries, restaurants and coffee shops, with "78 Street" (commonly known as "the Alleyway") being Hamra's main
pubbing and
clubbing hub.
Geography
Hamra Street runs east-west, connecting
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 ...
with the
Ras Beirut
Ras Beirut ("Tip of Beirut") is an upscale residential neighborhood of Beirut. It has a mixed population of Christians, Muslims, Druze, and secular individuals. Ras Beirut is home to some of Beirut's historically prominent families, such as th ...
neighborhoods. The street begins at the intersection of Rue de Rome and runs west until the intersection of Rue Sadat. Hamra Street is also a walking distance from the
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...
on
Bliss Street
Bliss Street, or Rue Bliss, is one of the principal streets of the Hamra area, which is within the Ras Beirut District of Beirut in Lebanon.
The street, which is parallel to Hamra Street, runs east-west, connecting with Rue Clémenceau on t ...
,
Haigazian University
Haigazian University ( hy, Հայկազեան Համալսարան, pronounced ''Haygazyan Hamalsaran''; ar, جامعة هايكازيان) is a higher education institution founded in 1955 in Beirut, Lebanon as Haigazian College. For a brief pe ...
on Rue Michel Chiha and the campus of the
Lebanese American University
The Lebanese American University (LAU) ( ar, الجامعة اللبنانية الأميركية) is a secular and private American university located in Lebanon. It is chartered by the board of regents of the University of the State of New Y ...
as well as
Rue Jeanne d'Arc Rue Jeanne d'Arc is a street in Beirut, Lebanon named in honor of Joan of Arc, one of the patron saints of France. By 1919, Rue Jeanne d'Arc was one of the main arteries that radiated from Bliss Street and by 1930, the urbanization of the street h ...
and
René Moawad Garden
The René Moawad Garden (French: ''Jardin René Moawad'') known by the public as the Sanayeh Garden is located in the Sanayeh district of Beirut, Lebanon. The garden is one of the oldest public open-air spaces in the capital. Khalil Pasha (1864 ...
on
Rue Spears
Rue Spears is a street in Beirut, Lebanon that was named after British General Edward Spears who in 1941 liaised with General Charles de Gaulle and his Free French movement to liberate the Levant. He was appointed the British minister in Beirut ...
.
Demographics
The
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
journalist and
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
winner
Borzou Daragahi
Borzou Daragahi (born c. 1969) is an Iranian-American print and radio journalist, who is International Correspondent for ''The Independent''. He was previously a correspondent for BuzzFeed News and ''The Financial Times''. He served also as Bagh ...
described the street as a bastion of liberalism
hat
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
embraces multiple religions and political views; Hamra Street is an amalgam of all of Lebanon's religious groups, including
Sunnis
Sunni Islam () is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia ...
,
Maronites
The Maronites ( ar, الموارنة; syr, ܡܖ̈ܘܢܝܐ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region of the Middle East, whose members traditionally belong to the Maronite Church, with the largest ...
,
Melkites
The term Melkite (), also written Melchite, refers to various Eastern Christian churches of the Byzantine Rite and their members originating in the Middle East. The term comes from the common Central Semitic root ''m-l-k'', meaning "royal", and ...
,
Greek Orthodox Christians
The term Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also cal ...
,
Druze
The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of ...
, and
Shias
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most n ...
.
Hamra, however, remains
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 ...
's
secular
Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...
haven, melting pot for free thinkers and the least religiously affiliated area around
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 ...
as the area hosts a limited number of churches and mosques.
Economy
It hosts a large number of western chains (including Gloria Jean's,
Caribou Coffee
Caribou Coffee Company is an American coffee company and coffeehouse chain. It was founded in Edina, Minnesota, Edina, Minnesota, in 1992. As of May 2015, the company operates 603 locations worldwide. It is headquartered in Brooklyn Center, Minne ...
,
Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee is a British coffeehouse chain with headquarters in Dunstable, England.
Costa Coffee was founded in London in 1971 by Sergio Costa as a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. ...
and
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
), as well as many local shops and restaurants. The appropriately named Cafe Hamra is a restaurant celebrating the historic street with an old street graffiti decor and a variety of international and Lebanese food as well as hookah smoking. Cafe Younes is another popular cafe that was first opened in 1935 and is run by a small family and is run by Amin Younes, the grandson of the founder of the same name. It is also known for its tourist appeal and variety of hotels. Its main landmark is the Crowne Plaza. The street buzzes with life during the summer when many tourists, especially from the Persian Gulf area, flock to Lebanon.
Before 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 ...
, Hamra Street was known as Beirut's "Champs Elysées" as it was frequented by tourists all year round.
Beirut's Piccadilly Theatre was one of the major theaters in the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
. Hamra Street is a first-rate commercial district which proudly displays the latest fads in fashion. It also hosts a good number of hotels, furnished apartments and coffee shops that cater to visitors and students from the nearby American University of Beirut, Lebanese American University and Haigazian University.
Hamra no longer functions as the cosmopolitan bastion of sectarian Lebanon. The Lebanese civil war and the ensuing government regulation that enforced rent control on all of the buildings removed the neighborhood's elite, pre-war cachet. However, the neighborhood remains trendy and profitable because of:
#the historical significance of the neighborhood;
#the attraction of "authentic" Beirut to foreign tourists, particularly those from the Persian Gulf;
#the historic Hamra red light / supernightclub district, and the present acceptability of opening pubs, bars, and public cafes that serve alcohol in the district;
#the current locations of the Lebanese Central Bank (Banque Du Liban), many private banks, multiple major newspapers (As-Safir, the wartime and pre-war headquarters of An-Nahar, and the near neighbors Al-Akhbar and Al-Mustaqbal), and many Lebanese government ministries (including the Ministries of Interior, Information, Tourism, and Economy and Trade), which have existed in Hamra since before the civil war;
#the close proximity and economic focal points of four of Lebanon's most significant universities: the American University of Beirut, the Lebanese American University, and Haigazian University.
#the booming commercial scene in Hamra St. that is a combination of retail shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Although it has yet to revive fully its pre-war legacy, Hamra Street has undergone many renovations and is still regarded by many as the heart of the city. While it is no longer the nightlife and commercial center of Beirut, it has become one of many pocket areas and streets scattered throughout the city, and is included with other streets and areas as
Rue Monot
Rue Monnot ( ar, شارع مونو), is a street in Beirut, Lebanon. It is located east of Beirut Central District, in the Sodeco neighborhood of the Achrafieh district, and named after Father Ambroise Monnot, a French Jesuit who founded the Sain ...
,
Rue Gouraud
Rue Gouraud () is a mixed residential and commercial street in Gemmayzeh, a neighborhood in the Rmeil district of Beirut in Lebanon. It is named after French General Henri Gouraud. Gemmayze, and Rue Gouraud specifically, and competes with the ...
, and
Rue Verdun
Rue Verdun, or Verdun Street, is an upscale commercial and residential street in Beirut, Lebanon. The street, which is a major shopping center and tourist attraction, was named in honor of the Battle of Verdun during World War I. It is official ...
.
Hamra Street Festival
Hamra Streets Festival is launched in the autumn of each year under the patronage of the Prime Minister. It is a convivial and cultural festival, its aim is to exhibit the cultural and artistic diversity of Lebanon in general and Hamra Street in particular.
The festival has encompassed a vast number of activities and events that target all age groups. Participation in the festival is flexible, and it greatly encourages amateur musicians, Artists and Free-lancers in all fields of the Arts. A wide variety of professional musicians perform after 8:30 p.m. each night while Amateurs reign the stages during the day. The Inauguration & Carnival Parade includes Carnival Float (Char de Carnaval), Dancing Groups, Zaffee loubnaniyya, Harley Davidson Owners HOG, The Beirut Orchestra, University Clubs Parade, Firemen, Croix Rouge Libanaise, Fuel Tankers with donkeys, Vegetable Chariots, Street Artists (Fire eater, stilt walker, etc.), Vintage Car etc. and a firework show afterwards.
More Activities:
* Promotional offers from Hamra Streets Shops, Restaurants, Bars and Coffee Shops.
* Biggest concert in Lebanon on three stages; around 40 local professional groups were announced from Rock, Blues, RAP, Electro, Jazz, Fusion, Oriental, all style are represented showing variety of a true Lebanese Bands!
* Arts and Crafts Stands: Artists and Amateurs will get a chance to show their works such as jewelry, accessories, T-shirt print-mugs, artisans at work etc. with the participation of the Lebanese Handicraft Group.
* NGO and Awareness Stands: Will be present such as
Arc-en-ciel, Lebanese School For The Blind and Deaf, Ahlieh School, Nahawa al Mouwatiniyeh and others.
* Photography and Paintings Exhibitions in all the streets with the participation in photography of Laki Hamra’I/Spread Minds and Mazen Jannoun as well as our contestants. Painters will have opportunity to exhibit their paintings all around Hamra Street.
* Short Films Screenings in zawareebs of Hamra: Short Movies, mainly produced by students of LAU, IESAV and other universities to be confirmed. A contest is being set up for best short documentary.
Events
*Opening of
American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...
on
Bliss Street
Bliss Street, or Rue Bliss, is one of the principal streets of the Hamra area, which is within the Ras Beirut District of Beirut in Lebanon.
The street, which is parallel to Hamra Street, runs east-west, connecting with Rue Clémenceau on t ...
at the end of the 19th century.
*One of the Arab region's most dynamic areas. Frequented by the Arab region's most prominent writers, intellectuals, artists such as the Palestinian national poet
Mahmoud Darwish
Mahmoud Darwish ( ar, محمود درويش, Maḥmūd Darwīsh, 13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008) was a Palestinian poet and author who was regarded as the Palestinian national poet. He won numerous awards for his works. Darwish used Palestine ...
, Syrian poets
Nizar Qabbani
Nizar Tawfiq Qabbani ( ar, نزار توفيق قباني, , french: Nizar Kabbani; 21 March 1923 – 30 April 1998) was a Syrian diplomat, poet, writer and publisher. He is considered to be Syria's National Poet. His poetic style combines sim ...
and
Omar Abu Risha,
Muhammad al-Maghut
Muhammad al-Maghout (1934–April 3, 2006) ( ar, محمد الماغوط) was a renowned Syrian writer and poet.
He was born in the town of Salamiyah of Hama Governorate in Syria to an Isma'ili family. He was married to the poet Saniya Salih.
...
,
Ounsi el-Hajj and
Mohammed Moftahh Elfitory
Muhammad al-Fayturi, also spelled Muhammad al-Fītūrī ( ar, محمد الفيتوري), was a Sudanese–Libyan poet writer, poet, playwright, and ambassador.
Biography
Al-Fayturi 1936 in Al Geneina in Western Darfur, Sudan, and his pater ...
.
*First
act against the
Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon
The Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon formally began in 1985 and ended in 2000 as part of the South Lebanon conflict. In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon in response to a spate of attacks carried out from Lebanese territory by Palestinian mi ...
in 1982 at the
Wimpy Cafe.
*
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens (13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011) was a British-American author and journalist who wrote or edited over 30 books (including five essay collections) on culture, politics, and literature. Born and educated in England, ...
described Hamra street by saying: "As Arab thoroughfares go, Hamra Street in the center of Beirut is probably the most chic of them all. International in flavor, cosmopolitan in character, it boasts the sort of smart little café where a Lebanese sophisticate can pause between
water-skiing
Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on two skis or one ski. The sport requires suffic ...
in the Mediterranean in the morning and snow-
skiing
Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...
in the mountains just above the city in the afternoon. “The
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
of the Middle East” used to be the cliché about Beirut: by that exacting standard, I suppose, Hamra Street would be the
Boulevard Saint-Germain."
See also
*
Theatre of Lebanon
References
{{coord missing, Lebanon
Streets in Beirut
Shopping districts and streets in Lebanon
Tourist attractions in Beirut
Retailing in Lebanon
Restaurant districts and streets in Lebanon