Assouline

Beirut Habibi Book 33x25cm

Perched on a peninsula along the Mediterranean, Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, is a city shaped by centuries of history and cultural exchange. Once a Phoenician port, Roman colony, Ottoman jewel, and French mandate, each era has left its imprint on the city. Mediterranean in setting, Western in its cafés and boulevards, yet deeply Arab and Levantine at heart, Beirut has long drawn artists, writers, and intellectuals captivated by its magnetic fusion of Eastern and Western traditions. Since the end of the civil war in 1990, Beirut has continued to reinvent itself, preserving its rich heritage while embracing a vibrant new creative spirit. From the Sursock family's historic palace, an emblem of old Beirut's aristocratic elegance, to bustling souks and the striking Raouché rock formations overlooking the Mediterranean, the city unfolds through a captivating tapestry of contrasts. Lemon trees scent its narrow streets, while cafés, galleries, restaurants, and boutiques breathe new life into historic neighborhoods such as Gemmayze. Beirut's creative legacy extends far beyond its streets, with celebrated talents such as Elie Saab carrying the city's refined elegance onto global couture runways. Vibrant, sophisticated, and endlessly captivating, Beirut is a city of layers, where Mediterranean beauty, cultural heritage, and an enduring spirit of creativity and reinvention converge. These many facets come to life in the pages of Beirut Habibi.