Beirut (The Capital)
Beirut, with its million-plus inhabitants, conveys a sense of life and energy that is immediately apparent. This dynamism is echoed by the Capital's geographical position: a great promontory jutting into the blue sea with dramatic mountains rising behind it.
It stands on the site of a very ancient
settlements going back at least 5000 years. In Phoenician times,
however, it was overshadowed by more powerful city-states of
Byblos, Sidon and Tyre. The city entered the most glorious period
of its ancient history under the Roman Empire. It was named
Colonia Julia Augusta Felix Berythus and acquired the rights of a
Roman city-state.
What most contributed to its fame, however, was its School of Law
which excelled the schools of Constantinople and Athens and
rivaled that of Rome. Beirut retains to this day its role as a
great cultural and commercial center with great impact on the
Middle Eastern region.
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Its different universities have graduated a large number of the area's prime movers and shakers. Its newspapers and publications are read by thousands throughout the Middle East, and it remains the publishing center for the whole area. |
It is a commercial, banking and finance center
for the region as a whole, with about 85 Lebanese banks,
countless import-export firms, arbitrage and triangular trade
operations and free exchange market.
The capital still has many touristic attractions to offer, among
them the museum of the American University of Beirut, the Sursock
Museum, the Pigeons Rocks, shopping centers and the National
Museum expected to be open on 25th November 1997.
In Raouche, popular area; different restaurants serve local and foreign cuisines. A good place to start your visit is the ruined down town Beirut which is under reconstruction. The extensive excavations by Lebanese and foreign archaeologists have uncovered significant remains from each historical periods that till now was unknown. |
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