~On the cobblestone alleys of Zokak el Blat…

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On the cobblestone alleys of Zokak el Blat…
ZOKAK EL BLAT, By Sandrine Menucelli
iloubnan.info -
June 18, 2009

From July 18 to July 20, Zokak el Blat is going all out!
Everyone’s invited to discover the forgotten wonders of this
old aristocratic corner of Beirut.

The efforts to showcase the architectural and cultural heritage of this
once very chic neighborhood is part of the ARCHIMEDES program;
financed by the European Union, it aims at promoting neighborhoods
in several Mediterranean cities.

Zokak el Blat means “paved street” in Arabic. It’s also the name
of a Beirut neighborhood whose main street, Amin Beyhum Street
was the first paved street outside the old town. In the past,
Zokak el Blat was the address for wealth and luxury.
Today, the neighborhood looks lifeless, the ambassadors
and wealthy merchants have left, coffee shops and stores are
disappearing, leaving the place to squatters… It wasn’t always so.
Zokak el Blat developed during the Arab Renaissance, the Nahda,
and was home to a vibrant intellectual scene. Many poets,
writers and journalists have played a pioneer role in its
educational and cultural development in the 19th century:
Nassif al-Yazigi and his son Ibrahim, Boutros Boustany,
Hussein Beydum, Shaykh Ahmad Abbas al-Azhari…
More importantly, this neighborhood produced a number
of intellectuals and fathers of the Independence. They say that
the national anthem and the Lebanese flag were imagined here.
It’s not just about an exceptional architectural heritage but also
about the country’s history and its cultural heritage.

An abandoned heritage

As it has often been the case in Beirut’s history, it is war that started
depopulating the neighborhood. Sectarian and social fractures
during conflicts isolated the different areas of Zokak el Blat
which suffered from sectarian frictions as many different
communities cohabitated there. Little by little, this meeting
point old mission schools, grand manors, places of worship
for all confessions and former diplomatic representations ceased
to interest people and became neglected and abandoned
by both public authorities and civil society.

The project ARCHIMEDES (Actions to Regenerate Cities and Help
Innovative Mediterranean Economic Development Enhancing
Sustainability) is set to change all that and re-igniting public
interest in this important part of Lebanese heritage. ARCHMEDES
is an urban regeneration project in seven cities of the Mediterranean.
The objective is to enhance the quality of life in the said areas
and create the environment for a local economic development
while conserving the cultural heritage and enhancing the urban design,
infrastructures, network. In Lebanon, the local partners are CGLU/BTVL
(Office of the Local United Cities and Governments/Technical Office of
Lebanese Cities) and ALBA’s MAJAL observatory for construction
and reconstruction.

A page in history

At the beginning of the nineties, 96 constructions representing
a historical or cultural interest were identified in the area.
Today, only 26 are left. Some are listed as heritage sites but,
according to a member of MAJAL, this doesn’t prevent their destruction
when enough money is invested. Some places are still holding strong.
Among those: the first printing press in Lebanon dating back to the
19th century or the Farjallah home where the Lebanese bourgeoisie
met to debate politics and which hosts today the Orient Institute;
the palace of poet Bechara el Khoury has been abandoned and doesn’t
seem to interest the poet’s descendants. It is a carpenter who now
occupies the first floor; he has been here since 1968.

Zokak el Blat will be open to the public from July 18 to July 20.
The visitors will have the opportunity to retrace Zokak el Blat’s
history as they learn some interesting facts and family anecdotes,
the evolution of urban morphology and an initiation to traditional
Lebanese architecture. The goal is to attract visitors in the deserted
place and make its residents participate to the initiative in order
to remind them of their rich architectural heritage.

Preserving the heritage

Despite strong sectarian tensions, Zokak el Blat was not severely
damaged by the civil war. The neighborhood thus did not require
a heavy reconstruction process. This allowed the conservation of
buildings dating back to the French mandate era and the Ottoman period.
Actually, the neighborhood is the mirror of Beirut before the 1975 war.
Its historic, cultural and architectural value is undeniable. However,
speculation is threatening this heritage.

The project aims at preserving Zokak el Blat and renovating it to
strengthen the sense of connection with this heritage.
Some building which are particularly valuable and which are in
need of more elaborate renovation will be the object of expropriation
in order to be turned into key cultural landmarks.

The project is also linked to Beirut World Book Capital 2009:
Events are organized in collaboration with the Beirut municipality
and the Ministry of Culture from April 2009 to April 2010.

Just like the French Poet Victor Hugo once said:
“The use of a buildings belong to its owner, its beauty belongs to everyone”.