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 ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English 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 district ( ...

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

. It was created by Italian sculptor Marino Mazzacurati, and inaugurated in 1960.

History

In 1930, during the

French Mandate The Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon (; , also referred to as the Levant States; 1923−1946) was a League of Nations mandate founded in the aftermath of the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire, concerning the territori ...

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

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

by the order of Ottoman military ruler

Djemal Pasha Ahmed Djemal (; ; 6 May 1872 – 21 July 1922), also known as Djemal Pasha or Cemâl Pasha, was an Ottoman military leader and one of the Three Pashas that ruled the Ottoman Empire during World War I. As an officer of the II Corps, he was ...

. 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. 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. Martyrs Square 1982

Due to damage inflicted during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, 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.J ...

(1975-1990), the Martyrs’ monument was dismantled in 1996 and restored by the

Holy Spirit University of Kaslik The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK; , ''Jāmiʿah al-Rūḥ al-Quddus – al-Kaslīk'') is a private, non-profit, Catholic university in Jounieh, Lebanon. The university was founded by the Baladites in 1950 and ratified under the new ...

. The restoration intentionally preserved the marks of the war damage.

Timeline

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

Camille Chamoun Camille Nimr Chamoun (, ; 3 April 19007 August 1987) was a Lebanese politician who served as the 2nd president of Lebanon from 1952 to 1958. He was one of the country's main Christian leaders during most of the Lebanese Civil War. Early yea ...

laid foundation stone of monument designed by Sami Abdel Baki which was never completed. * 1960: President

Fouad Chehab Fouad Abdallah Chehab ( / ; 19 March 1902 – 25 April 1973) was a Lebanese general and statesman who served as president of Lebanon from 1958 to 1964. He is considered to be the founder of the Lebanese Army after Lebanon gained independence fr ...

inaugurated the new sculpture of the Martyrs' Monument, designed by Marino Mazzacurati. * 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