Focus on Beirut: To the Rescue of Beiruti Heritage

FOCUS ON BEIRUT

TO THE RESCUE OF BEIRUTI HERITAGE

On 4 August 2020, a large quantity of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse in the port of Beirut ignited, triggering a devastating double explosion. These violent explosions killed many people and injured thousands. They caused extensive structural damage throughout the Lebanese capital, including in its oldest neighborhoods, damaging historical buildings that line its unique streets. Many museums, schools, religious buildings, libraries, and historical houses were among the damaged heritage.

“ALIPH was the first international organization to be at our side. I must say that we were able to sign a contract, come to an agreement, and figure out all the logistics in just one month! … It was very fast, very, very fast.”

Zeina Arida, Director of Sursock Museum (2020)

ALIPH quickly initiated a “Statement of solidarity with Lebanon and support to recover the damaged cultural heritage in Beirut,” signed by over 40 government ministries, cultural heritage operators, museums, and international organizations around the world. As a follow up to this statement, the ALIPH Foundation Board responded with the Beirut Action Plan, earmarking USD 5 million to help stabilize and rehabilitate the city’s cultural heritage.

In mid-September, ALIPH, the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) undertook a joint mission to Beirut to evaluate the damage, consult with national and local authorities, and meet with heritage partners and members of civil society groups.

To carry out the Beirut Action Plan, ALIPH has been working in close coordination with the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) of Lebanon and various international partners and local NGOs. In the course of a few months, ALIPH committed USD 2.3 million for 18 projects, including the emergency stabilization of more than 40 buildings under imminent threat of collapse and initiatives to rehabilitate monuments and cultural institutions. In particular, ALIPH supported the rehabilitation of the National and Sursock Museums, the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, the Saint George Maronite Cathedral, the National Library, and the Oriental Library. These projects have been implemented by operators including the DGA of Lebanon, the Musée du Louvre, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, the Sursock Museum, the Ecole supérieure des affaires (ESA), the National Heritage Foundation (for the Beirut Heritage Initiative Campaign), the Institut français du Proche-Orient (IFPO), the Institut national du patrimoine (INP-Paris), Prince Claus Fund, Œuvre d’Orient, Monumenta Orientalia, Saint Joseph University and many more. All these projects have contributed to on-site training, job creation, and economic stimulation.

“As soon as we heard about the blast, we jumped into action to support our friends and colleagues in Beirut. This was not just to stabilize the endangered cultural heritage as quickly as possible but also to convey to the world that the cultural heritage community was committed and ready to help.”

Alexandra Fiebig, Project Manager, ALIPH

18

Projects supported

34

Number of operators and partners

$ 2,319,473

Funds committed

2

Educational establishments

2

Places of worship

2

Libraries

2

Urgent assessment

4

Museums

6

Residential historic homes, villas, and palaces*

*Around 40 buildings were stabilized under the 6 projects listed in this line

Urgent roof covering and stabilization for 40 historic houses

Operators: Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo), in cooperation with the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) of Lebanon; National Heritage Foundation for the Beirut Heritage Initiative campaign (Lebanon), in cooperation with Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA), and Prince Claus Fund in cooperation with Blue Shield Lebanon

The double explosion that rocked downtown Beirut on 4 August 2020 gravely damaged many of the city’s historical neighborhoods. An emergency evaluation of the damage by the Lebanese Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) and a network of cultural heritage experts from Beirut Built Heritage Rescue 2020 (BBHR2020) reported that about 350 houses were damaged, of which about 80 were in very bad condition, or even likely to collapse. This risk was compounded by the threat of rainwater infiltration in the upcoming rainy season. As part of the urgent efforts to stabilize many of these damaged buildings, ALIPH funded four projects to provide temporary roof coverings (such as tarp or sheet metal) and shoring measures for about 40 historical houses in the Achrafieh, Rmeil, Medawar, and Saifi quarters. These included residential houses, a patrician villa, two historical palaces (Bustros and Sursock Palace), and the old train station of Beirut.

Rehabilitation of the National Museum of Lebanon

Operator: Musée du Louvre, in cooperation with the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) of Lebanon

The Beirut Blast shattered many windows and doors of the National Museum of Lebanon, leaving its collection in non-secure conditions. The project repaired damages to the museum as well as the Directorate General of Antiquities’ headquarters. It re-installed windows, repaired doors, and ceilings, restored the alarm system, implemented security measures, and carried out a study on the air conditioning, which was heavily damaged by the blast, leaving the collection vulnerable to humidity and temperature fluctuations. To address this threat, the project’s second phase is being prepared with the goal of installing air conditioning to ensure year-round climate control for the museum’s collection.

Rehabilitation of the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral and the Saint George Maronite Cathedral

Operators: Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo) with Ecole supérieure des affaires (ESA), in cooperation with the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) of Lebanon; Œuvre d’Orient, in cooperation with the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and the Directorate General of Antiquities (DGA) of Lebanon

In central Beirut lies the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, a three-hundred-year-old church built on the site of a 5th-century cathedral. Just 400 meters away is the Saint-George Maronite Cathedral, a neoclassical church that was inspired by the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. The Beirut blast significantly damaged windows, doors, and church artifacts in these two places of worship. At the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, the 19th century iconostasis and frescoes were restored, and wooden windows and doors were repaired. While at the SaintGeorge Maronite Cathedral, the 137 m² of historical stained-glass windows damaged by the blast were temporarily secured. Now, replacement glasswork is being produced in Zagreb, Croatia, with installations planned for spring 2022.

At the Saint-George Maronite Cathedral, the 137 m² of historical stained-glass windows damaged by the blast were temporarily secured. Now, replacement glasswork is being produced in Zagreb, Croatia, with installations planned for spring 2022.