Beiteddine Palace Architecture
The Beiteddine Palace, designed by an Italian architect, was built for Emir
Bashir Shihab between 1788 and 1818.
The design of the palace reflects a beautiful mix of Arabic and Italian
Baroque styles.
Among its many uses, it served as the Emir’s residence until 1840, as a
government residence during the Ottoman occupation, as an administrative office under the
French Mandate, and as the summer residence of the Lebanese President since 1943. The palace
was declared a Historic Monument after it was restored in 1934.
The upper floor houses the Rashid Karami Archeological and Ethnographic
Museum, which contains a miniature replica of the palace to provide visitors with an idea of
the structure’s original form.
Since 1985, the palace hosts the Beiteddine Festival, one of the biggest
annual music and art festivals in the Middle East.
Beiteddine Palace Map&Location
Address: Beiteddine Palace is situated in the town of Beit ed-Dine, in
Lebanon, around 40 km away from the capital city of Beirut. See bellow the location on the
map:
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Beiteddine Palace Photos
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Beiteddine Palace aerial view by rejik
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