Beirut Souks, Beirut (must see)

Beirut Souks are piazzas and public spaces occupied by 200 shops, 25 restaurants and cafes among landscaped pedestrianized zones. With an entertainment center, a cinema complex, street markets and a coming department store, it is Beirut's busiest shopping and socializing venue.

During the civil war, there were ferocious battles in the city. The Souks area was a ruined no-man's land of snipers, explosions and fires. The battle for the Souks lasted almost three months. Hostilities lasted from 1975 until 1990.

In 1994, Solidere, a private share-holding company, was created by the government to manage reconstruction. Because of political instability, the renewed Souks did not open until 2009. The new Souks are in two parts: the South Souks and the North Souks.

The Souks are designed as interconnected open spaces. The plan follows the period from the Phoenician era to the French Mandate. The Beirut Souks received the 2009 Capital Issues Award for Architectural Excellence.