The Beirut Central District was home to a number of civilizations over thousands of years and a wealth of archeological monuments and relics are embedded in its soil. One of the concerns of the development and reconstruction of the BCD is to bring to light this archeological wealth so that the rich heritage of the city center is integrated into the reconstruction process.

Hundreds of archeologists and their assistants are currently participating in one of the world's largest and most exciting urban archeological excavations, under the auspices of the Directorate General of Antiquities and with the technical assistance of UNESCO. SOLIDERE plays a major role in the financing of the archeological rescue operations in the BCD and is preserving the historic monuments in line with the recommendations of UNESCO and the DGA.

The first phase of excavations began in the autumn of 1993 and consisted of area surveys and open-site excavations. The second phase started in the final quarter of 1994, in the region between Martyrs' Square and Nijmeh Square. The third phase, which consists of urban excavations, began in June 1994 in the souks area with teams from the DGA, the American University of Beirut, the Lebanese University, and British, Dutch and French archeologists. Excavations are also in place where infrastructure works are being conducted, making sure that no trace of the past is lost in the operation.

The Master plan has allocated space for an open archeological area between Martyrs' Square and Nijmeh Square, the Maronite St. George Church to the south and the Omari mosque to the north. Already, a vast amount of riches dating back from the Bronze Age have been discovered, underlining the importance of Beirut throughout the ages. Visitors to the area are invited to discover the many traces of Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Mamluk and Ottoman cultures in the city center.

The Master plan has allocated space for an open archeological area between Martyrs' Square and Nijmeh Square, the Maronite St. George Church to the south and the Omari mosque to the north. Already, a vast amount of riches dating back from the Bronze Age have been discovered, underlining the importance of Beirut throughout the ages. Visitors to the area are invited to discover the many traces of Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Mamluk and Ottoman cultures in the city center.

In addition to the large variety of finds which could be left in place and incorporated into a possible archeological park, a number of discoveries will be integrated into the architecture of new buildings or placed on display in public gardens or the National Museum, enriching our future city with a wealth of relics and information from the past.

Visit the Beirut Central District and discover why we call Beirut "the ancient city of the future."

Created by Morten Grøvnes.

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