Beirut Central District
The Directorate General of Antiquites -
Interactive Archeological Map Of  Beirut

Ottoman 1516 - 1918:

Cathedral Saint George of The Maronites | Emir Mansour 'Assaf Mosque
Glass Production in Beirut  |  Old City (Beirut Al-Qadimah)  |  Ottoman Silk Workshop   |  Serail Hill The Souks Site  | Old Ottoman Serail

Cathedral Saint George of The Maronites

Built in 1890 by the Archbishop of Beirut, Mgr. Debs , after the model of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. It replaced an older and smaller church belonging to the same religious affiliation. Its Ottoman basement vaults now house one of the city's archeological workshops.

Emir Mansour 'Assaf Mosque

Emir Mansour 'Assaf Mosque of the 17th century survived the war structurally intact and will remain a historical landmark in Beirut's townscape. Reconstruction rendering.

Glass Production in Beirut

Much evidence of glass manufacture has been found in the Beirut Central District (IFAPO excavations in Martyr's Square ) including glass debris for recycling by the glass maker and perfumed oil and pharmacists' bottels from Roman to Ottoman times. ( AUB Souks excavations )

Old City (Beirut Al-Qadimah)

OLD CITY ( Beirut Al-Qadimah ) as seen by Louis Bonfils around 1880: Khan al-Mallaha in the foreground, al-Badawi mosque and the castle built by the Crusaders with later Mamluk and Ottoman structural additions.

Ottoman Silk Workshop

Discovered in the souks area in 1994 ( AUB-British excavations). Surviving oriental materials and costumes of intricate design and rich colors enchant the eye and inspire craft production to this day (traditional ikat silks).

Serail Hill

Built in the 1890s as the seat of the Ottoman government and military hospital, the two buildings and the clock tower have already undergone or undergoing  restoration. The Ottoman hospital now houses the Council for Development and Reconstruction ( CDR )

The Souks Site

The Traditional souks stretched from Weygand  Street to the sea, divided into two by the main thoroughfare of Souk Tawileh. In the foreground, the Zawiya Ibn'Iraq (1517) and at the northern end, the L'orient/Le Jour (1924) and Majidiya Mosque (1844). AUB-British, Lebanese University and Dutch excavation teams, Photo 1994.

Old Ottoman Serail

Built in the late 19th century as the local government headquarters, its lush public gardens with fountains and pavilions provided a pleasant and shady retreat. The building was demolished in 1950 to make room for parking on the central square. (IFAPO excavations 1993-1995)

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THE SOUKS