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Photo: Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl via Wikimedia Commons
Emir Bechir Street, Downtown Beirut. Built in 1888, the style of this church is neo-classical. The cathedral was completely restored in 2000.
Saint George Maronite Cathedral is the cathedral of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut, located in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. Constructed between 1884 and 1894 under Archbishop Joseph Debs, the cathedral stands on the site of an earlier 18th-century church dedicated to Saint George. Its Neoclassical facade and interior draw inspiration from the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, featuring a basilica plan with a coffered gilded ceiling, marble and stucco walls, and a prominent altar canopy. The cathedral suffered extensive damage during the Lebanese civil war and was further affected by the 2020 Beirut explosion. It has undergone multiple restorations, including a major post-war rehabilitation completed in 1997 and reopening in 2000 by Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. The cathedral houses the cathedra of the Archbishop of Beirut and the chair used by Pope John Paul II during his 1997 visit. In 2016, a new 72-meter campanile was inaugurated, symbolizing interfaith harmony by matching the height of nearby Al-Amin mosque minarets. Beneath the cathedral's forecourt, significant archaeological remains, including a Hellenistic structure and Roman street fragments, have been preserved.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Beirut's goliath blue mosque, with lots of minarets, built only in 2008. Maybe in a token symbol of friendship, this and the Saint Georges Maronite Cathedral sit side by side.
Until the civil war in Lebanon this Greek-Orthodox church, built in 1767, was the oldest functioning church in Beirut. The decorations on its walls were lost during the war. The cathedral has been restored.
The renovated central square, with the famous clock tower built during the French Mandate.
Synonymous with political demonstrations, Martyr's Square has a very rich history, from its establishment as a memorial to those executed during Ottoman rule, to serving as the demarcation line during the civil war. It is home to a bullet-holed martyr's statue. Occasionally out-door art exhibitions are featured here.
Bab-Es-Saray Mosque
This was built by Emir Mansour ‘Assaf (1572–1580) on the site of the Byzantine Church of the Holy Savior. Located opposite the Municipality Building.
Built as the Crusader Cathedral of St. John (1113-1150 AD), it was transformed into the city’s Grand Mosque by the Mamlukes in 1291.