Beirut Central District

33°54′01″N 35°30′06″E / 33.9003°N 35.5017°E / 33.9003; 35.5017

Beirut Downtown
وسط بيروت
Central business district
Clockwise from top left: Downtown buildings, Beirut Souks, New Waterfront towers, Nejmeh Square, Rue Maarad, Saifi Village
Clockwise from top left: Downtown buildings, Beirut Souks, New Waterfront towers, Nejmeh Square, Rue Maarad, Saifi Village
Map
CountryLebanon
GovernorateBeirut Governorate
Area
 • Total
191 ha (472 acres)
Population
 • Total
40,000[1]
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (UTC+03:00 +3)
Websitewww.solidere.com/beirut-city-center
Nejmeh square is the heart of the Beirut City Center.
Saifi neighborhood in the BCD
Rue Maarad is a main street in the central district.
The Waterfront towers in Zaitunay Bay at night

The Beirut Central District is the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Also called downtown Beirut,[2] it has been described as the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.”[3] It is thousands of years old, with a traditional focus of business, finance, culture, and leisure.[4]

The area is situated on the city's northern coast and is easily accessible from all parts of the city. This includes the adjacent Beirut Seaport and Rafik Hariri International Airport. Major roads converge on it or from boundaries to the east, south and west, or line its 1.5 km (1 mi) long seafront to the north.[5]

After the city center was destroyed by the Lebanese Civil War, it underwent thorough reconstruction and development, which restored its cultural and economic position in the region. A master plan for reconstructing the city was officially approved by the Lebanese Government in March 1994 after a series of detailed studies alongside public and professional seminars. On May 5, 1994, Solidere, the Lebanese company for the development and reconstruction of the Beirut Central District[6] was formed, launching the largest urban redevelopment project of the 1990s.[7] Ever since, Beirut Central District has evolved into an integrated business and commercial environment.[8]

Today, Beirut Central District hosts the Lebanese Parliament, the Lebanese Government headquarters, the Beirut Stock Exchange, the regional offices of the United Nations, International Labour Organization, UNESCO, World Bank, as well as the headquarters of the ESCWA and the Union of Arab Banks.

  1. ^ "Central District". ikamalebanon.com. Archived from the original on 2013-05-25.
  2. ^ Sakr, Naomi (2015-03-31). Arab Media Moguls. I.B.Tauris. p. 32. ISBN 9780857710468..
  3. ^ "Beirut Central District". Archived from the original on 2001-10-14.
  4. ^ "Lebanese Company for the Reconstruction of Beirut Central District - Home". Solidere. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2012-09-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ "Beirut City Center - Lebanon". Solidere. Archived from the original on 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
  6. ^ Solidere Annual Report 210. Solidere. 2010. p. 10.
  7. ^ "Beirut Central District". oocities.org.
  8. ^ "Business in Beirut City Center". Solidere. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2012-09-18.