Linda Sursock Beirut

As you walk up Saint Nicholas Stairs (check out the article) from Gemmayze, you'll reach a street that welcomes you with Villa Linda Sursock. It was once owned by a party advocate, who hosted events over events, and parties over parties.

The late 19th century built villa is built with the typical Ottoman yet affected Italian style with its interior design. You can still see the dominant architecture of the double 3 arches, and the engraved work of wooden art in the rooms of the 2-floored villa. The lavishness is even more visible in the paintings of the rooms.

I personally love that every time I walk inside, the artistic efforts put into villas in the previous centuries leave me awe-struck.  The Arabic calligraphy written on some of the pieces installed on the walls keeps my Arabic mother tongue stuttering for a few minutes to decode the beautiful artwork to read it properly.

Villa Linda Sursock is open to the public during daytime if they want to walk in and observe, but sometimes they do not allow people inside. It was transformed in 2013 into a space that hosts events and occasions with the Le Bristol Beirut Hotel's management. However, the space is currently being restored after the tremendous aftermath of the August 4th 2020 blast.