Hamra, Beirut

{{Infobox settlement , name = Hamra , native_name = {{lang, ar, الحمرا , settlement_type = Neighborhood , mapsize = , map_caption = Location of Hamra , image_map1 =Hamra, Beirut (8254784822).jpg , mapsize1 = , map_caption1 = , pushpin_map = Lebanon , pushpin_label_position = bottom , pushpin_mapsize = , pushpin_map_caption = Location in Lebanon , subdivision_type =

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

, subdivision_name = {{flagcountry, Lebanon , subdivision_type1 =

Governorate A governorate is an administrative division of a state. It is headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either State (administrative division), states or province, provinces, the term ''govern ...

, subdivision_name1 =

Beirut Governorate Beirut Governorate ( ar, محافظة بيروت, ; french: Gouvernorat de Beyrouth) is a Lebanese governorate that consists of one district and one city, Beirut, which is also its capital, and the capital of Lebanon. The area of this governora ...

, subdivision_type2 =

District A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

, subdivision_name2 = Beirut District , established_title = , established_date = , founder = , leader_party = , leader_title = Municipality , leader_name =

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 ...

Municipality , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = , area_note = , coordinates = {{coord, 33, 54, N, 35, 29, E, display=title, region:LB_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki , elevation_footnotes = , elevation_m = , elevation_min_m = 25 , elevation_max_m = 50 , population_footnotes = , population_total = , population_as_of = , population_density_km2 = auto , population_note = , timezone1 =

EET "Eet" is a song from Regina Spektor's fifth studio album, ''Far (album), Far''. It was released as the album's second official single in October 2009. In Europe it was released as a digital download on November 27, 2009. Music video A Viral vide ...

, utc_offset1 = +2 , timezone1_DST =

EEST Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) is one of the names of the UTC+03:00 time zone, which is 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used as a summer daylight saving time in some European and Middle Eastern countries, which makes it ...

, utc_offset1_DST = +3 , postal_code_type = , postal_code = , area_code_type = Dialing code , area_code = +961 , website
beirut.gov.lb
, footnotes = , official_name = Hamra ( ar, الحمرا) is a neighborhood (sector 34) in

(quarter Ras Beirut),

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 ...

. The center of the neighborhood,

Hamra Street Hamra Street or Rue Hamra ( ar, شارع الحمراء) is one of the main streets of the city of Beirut, Lebanon, and one of the main economic and diplomatic hubs of Beirut. It is located in the neighborhood of the same name, Hamra. Its te ...

, is one of Beirut's major commercial districts, and is known for its fashion stores, as well as many

restaurants A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearanc ...

cafes A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-caf ...

, bars and

hotels A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

. The area is known for having a lively

nightlife Nightlife is a collective term for entertainment that is available and generally more popular from the late evening into the early hours of the morning. It includes pubs, bars, nightclubs, parties, live music, concerts, cabarets, theatre, c ...

. Notably, 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 ...

and

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 ...

are both located in the neighborhood. Hamra Street used to be one of the main places where Arab poets, writers, thinkers, and philosophers used to meet and collaborate, making it an important cultural hub of

. Many ruins of 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 ...

remain obvious on the walls of buildings to this day, but it has also seen much urban development over the last decades. Although it may not be as vibrant culturally and artistically as it once was, it is still a street rich with life and art.

Graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...

has become a big form of artistic expression found on the walls of the buildings along the central bulevard; an example of this is a mural of the popular singer and icon

Sabah Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...

found towards the beginning of the street. Neighbourhoods of Beirut