I just thought I could know what is your ultimate favorite building or structure in Lebanon :)

Here's Mine:

Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium:

http://www.zerozero.pt/img/estadios/054/22054_ori_camille_chamoun_sports_city_stadium.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_wKC3SG8UOXo/S3rU_3cKy7I/AAAAAAAAAG4/6UXBb8u9Pl0/CCSC%20%283%29.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_wKC3SG8UOXo/S3rVG6HoAgI/AAAAAAAAAHA/qN0-ZUgQQf0/cer14-b%5B1%5D.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_o9HzNbEKUG0/S0TCfhO7Q3I/AAAAAAAADP8/5hvk_Rw-Hy8/s400/page280281d6mu.jpg

http://waka77.fc2web.com/studium/553lebanon/01Camillechamoun1.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_wKC3SG8UOXo/S3qu9-6f3PI/AAAAAAAAAEo/OkvFzcynlWI/s576/42.jpg

I just love its sheer magnitude and design - It is the biggest scale project I think ever attempted in Lebanon. Not to mention being a world class stadium equiped with the top notch facilities. I also admire the situation of its creation, you know after a long and destructive war, the Lebanese felt that they need to prove something to the world - and prove something they did. It is truely the milestone for Lebanese investments huge projects.

Please, Share Yours !

i dont know if it is the best building but it's definately one of the best....

The Grand Serial

The HeadQuarters of the Lebanese Government

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/Grand-Serail-1.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/beirut_grand_serail_74654545-1.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/lebanon_beirut_041_grand_serail-1.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/lebanon_beirut_042_grand_serail-1.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/ryd-1.jpg

The Northern Gate of the Serial:

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/gate-1.jpg

The inner courtyard of the Serial:

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/court-1.jpg

Behind the Roman Stairs:

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/st-1.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/st1-1.jpg

It's hard to pick only one building,but if i have to,i'd pick the Grand Serail as well.

and why? well,it's beautiful,Huge and actually it's the kind of building we need to see more in Beirut.

as for the "WHY?"...well, first of all this edifice is of great historical value, and it is deeply associated with Lebanon's Modern History... Residence of the first presidents of Lebanon, then the office of the Prime Minister, and how it got destroyed in the war, and then rebuilt back into its glory and grandeur....and then how it was blockaded through 2006-2008....still it retains all its glamour as it sits there on a hill in Central Beirut overlooking the rest of DownTown...

i was just gonna propose moving this thread into the architecture/urban subforum :D

Yes indeed the Serial is truely an icon of Lebanon and Beirut. It is a fine work of art also. :D Thanks !

Too many buildings to choose from. I have to agree though that the Grand Serail is just stunning. It's a beautiful historic building that is not only historic, but in pristine mint condition.

I agree with you Young-Modeler than the stadium is very nice also. It really stands out amongst the sea of buildings around it. I have hardly found any pictures of it online, so thanks for posting them!

mine would definatley be the BLOM Bank Headquarters Building on Verdun, designed by Joe Geitani and Pierre Khoury Architects

^^ Abo 3leish, can you post a photo ? Im sure its magnificent though!

^^@Lebanese Cedar:
To find more stufff about the stadium, you can go to its website:
http://www.camillechamounsportscity.com/

^^Wow! I had no idea they had a website! I found a few nice photos on the CDR website also.

Do you know of any other stadium websites? Like the Beirut Municipal Stadium?

^^ What I love about the stadium is, unlike most American stadiums, it's not littered with advertisements.

^^ @ Lebanese Cedar:

Unfortunately there are no other websites that I know of of other stadiums in Lebanon. I think that the website was made for this stadium in order to promote Lebanon in its Sports sector and what better way of doing that than featuring the finest stadium in Lebanon.

The Beirut Municipal Stadium, however beautiful it may be, does not have the facilities that make it a top notch stadium. I mean its not covered entirely by seating , no complete olympic facilities, & relatively low campacity (18 K)

A stadium that really desrves to have a website is the one in saida, awesome !

^^ @ Beiruti:
Well, you are almost mistaken there. All 50 something exits inside the staium have ads of at least 3 different companies (two on each side & one on the top [Ive been there])
but for no use ! they're not letting anyone into the stadiums ! It a real shame ! We paid for the construction of these stadiums to enjoy them as public facilities not to have the army transform them into military barracks !

^^Any idea when the Beirut Municipal Stadium was renovated? My Dad spoke to me about school activities he used to do when he was younger there.

^^ @ Beiruti:
Well, you are almost mistaken there. All 50 something exits inside the staium have ads of at least 3 different companies (two on each side & one on the top [Ive been there])
but for no use ! they're not letting anyone into the stadiums ! It a real shame ! We paid for the construction of these stadiums to enjoy them as public facilities not to have the army transform them into military barracks !


Of course there will be some, but have you seen some football/baseball stadiums in the States? I meant there are no giant billboards sticking out from each end... at least for now.

why isn't anybody suggesting a building or a structure they like ???

^^ @Beiruti Actually yes, & I get your point - but beleive me if our stadiums were owned privatley by teams the stadiums here would just have the same condition. Sponsor money talks you know :)

^^ @ Lebanese Cedar: It was renovated in the mid 90's in preperation for the AFC Asian Cup - well, 10 stadiums around Lebanon did including 2 in tripoli, 1 in junieh, 3 in Beirut , and 1 in saida

^^ Martyr: Yes! You're right !

Are there any plans to complete the city...IE the olympic pools and tennis courts

Not that I know of ! I think we have an olympic pool and a little tennis court in the Lebanese University campus in Hadath.

Also, when the national stadium was built in 1998 there were actually plans of an olympic swimming pool in the project but it was never done.