Beit Beirut, or the Yellow building, has been standing since 1924 when a Lebanese couple, Nicolas and Victoria Barakat, assigned the Lebanese architect Youssef Afandi Aftimos to design the building.
After surviving the Lebanese Civil War that lasted for 15 years (1975-1990), the Lebanese architect, Dr. Mona Hallak, fought for the building to not be demolished and to be turned into a museum and an urban cultural center. Unfortunately, it is not a museum yet, knowing that there is not a single museum that discusses the Lebanese Civil War. It will stay open as a center for art exhibitions and cultural events.
As you pass by Beit Beirut, you will see the neon sign "Photo Mario" in the Arabic language, with some portraits of unknown faces. This non-stop exhibition shall always be part of the museum, because Photo Mario was the studio of a neighbourhood photographer located on the building's ground floor.
The city of Beirut needs a space that talks about the Lebanese Civil War in an objective manner. It makes it harder for Beit Beirut to come to life because there are various narratives from several political parties about the war that is shaping our current country's state.
Find your way with 179 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
Loved this Spot?Join your international community. Share your favs and become part of our international community!
A healthy lifestyle requires freshly concocted dishes with seasonal vegetables and ingredients that are preferably sourced locally. This is what the concept of Salata is all about.
by
Falafel Joseph broadened his menu and opened a "restaurant" a couple of hundred meters away. The restaurant serves one of the tastiest chicken shawarma in town!
by
What you will be able to see is the bath's infrastructure, which includes fired clay or terracotta with some other mosaics that are still preserved.
by
For your afternoon coffee or late-night chit-chat, this dreamy place is a definite go-to as it overlooks the beauty of Gemmayze's historical buildings.
by
If you feel like playing some board games with friends, reading a book while sipping on your coffee, and delighting your palate with some food on the side, then Luna's kitchen is the right place for you.
by
Their specialty dessert, Persian love cake, is a concoction of cardamon, pistachio, and zest of lemon. It tasted as delicious as it looked.
by
I usually stop by Terghale for fresh juice and my friends mostly order shisha or coffee, and we can spend hours here sitting and reading in silence.
by
Make sure to try the beetroot carpaccio and the tomato bruschetta as snacks. Their signature cocktails are delicious and I also fancy their minted lemonade.
by
My favorite treat at Emotions is the "chausson au citron" - lemon turnover, which tastes simply yummylicious: not too lemony or sour, not too sweet, not too small.
by
With their creative combinations and delectable thin dough, their menu is surely going to offer you an interesting array of choices. From classic options to the sweet and sour assortment.
by
179 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 179 Insider Tips