The Beirut Heritage Trail is a project undertaken by Solidere and will be launched in the Fall of 2015. Marked out by bronze medallions grouted into the sidewalk, the trail will link archeological sites, historic public spaces and heritage buildings over a 2.5 km walking circuit in the historic core,
revealing many layers of Beirut’s history and development. Large district panels and smaller monum
ent panels are made from glazed lava-stone tiles mounted on stainless steel stands. With texts prepared in three languages (Arabic, French and English) these panels are illustrated with historic maps, photographs and drawings. The circuit will start at the Beirut Souks, which retain the 2,500 year-old ancient street grid and Ottoman access gates, and incorporate several archeological remains including the Phoenico-Persian
quarter, the city wall and moat, the restored Mamluk Zawiyat Ibn Iraq and al-Majidiyyeh mosque. Many Byzantine period mosaics were salvaged during archeological excavations there. An identical version of one of the mosaics has been replicated and laid in the modern souks close to its original alignment within the colonnade of the Roman street that once led through Bab Idriss, gateway to the Hippodrome in Wadi Abou
Jamil. Leaving Beirut Souks, the trail leads south past Emir Munzer mosque and onto the Roman Baths and the Cisterns, through Riad El Solh Square to the Grand Theatre and the southern end of the colonnaded Maarad Street. Between this street and St George Maronite Cathedral, lies the Roman Cardo Maximus. The trail then leads to Nejmeh Square dating back to the French Mandate, the Parliament building as well as the St George Greek-Orthodox and St Elie Greek-Catholic cathedrals. Behind them lies the Nouriyyeh chapel overlooking the planned Garden of Forgiveness or Hadiqat As-Samah. The trail continues to the restored Al Omari mosque, passing by the Beirut Municipality building of 1925 and the 16th century Emir Assaf mosque, down to Martyrs’ Square, the Canaanite Tell, site of the soon-to-be Beirut City History Museum. By way of Castle Square, Foch Street and Harbor Square, the trail travels across the Foch-Allenby District to regain Beirut Souks on Trablos Street, at the site of the Phoenico-Persian Quarter.
