Hamra, Beirut Explained

Hamra
Native Name:Arabic: الحمراء
Settlement Type:Neighborhood
Image Map1:Hamra, Beirut (8254784822).jpg
Pushpin Map:Lebanon
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Lebanon
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:
Subdivision Type1:Governorate
Subdivision Name1:Beirut Governorate
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Beirut District
Leader Title:Municipality
Leader Name:Beirut Municipality
Coordinates:33.9°N 64°W
Elevation Min M:25
Elevation Max M:50
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:EET
Utc Offset1:+2
Timezone1 Dst:EEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+3
Area Code Type:Dialing code
Area Code:+961
Website:beirut.gov.lb

Hamra (Arabic: الحمراء) is a neighborhood (sector 34) in Beirut (quarter Ras Beirut), Lebanon. The center of the neighborhood, Hamra Street, is one of Beirut's major commercial districts, and is known for its fashion stores, as well as many restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels. The area is known for having a lively nightlife.

Notably, The American University of Beirut and Lebanese American University are both located in the neighborhood.[1] [2]

Hamra Street used to be one of the main places where Arab poets, writers, thinkers, and philosophers used to meet and collaborate, making it an important cultural hub of Beirut. Many ruins of the Lebanese Civil War remain obvious on the walls of buildings to this day, but it has also seen much urban development over the last decades. Although it may not be as vibrant culturally and artistically as it once was, it is still a street rich with life and art. Graffiti has become a form of artistic expression found on the walls of the buildings along the central boulevard;[3] an example of this is a mural of the popular singer and icon Sabah found towards the beginning of the street.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Campus & Facilities. . . American University of Beirut. 6 January 2023.
  2. Web site: Faculty of Public Health. . . Lebanese University. 6 January 2023.
  3. Web site: How a Beirut graffiti artist is using his murals to try to unite a fragmented city. Ellie Violet Bramley. 22 September 2015. The Guardian. 6 January 2023.