RENÉ MOUAWAD GARDEN

The René Mouawad Garden, better known as Sanayeh, created in 1907 by the wali Khalil Pasha, is the largest public space in Beirut, on the edge of the Hamra district, behind the Ministry of Tourism. It bears the name of René Mouawad, in honour of the former Lebanese president, assassinated in 1989 not far from the park, after only seventeen days in office. The main entrance is on Spears Street. Fully renovated in 2014, Sanayeh is a nice place to take a break and see a panel of Lebanese society that is not found in the new downtown. Under a tree, a crowd of elderly men play cards, backgammon or checkers (with blue and white caps from water bottles). Children desperately run after pigeons. Students from the nearby university are taking a break between classes. They come to read the newspaper, chat with friends, daydream on a bench while smoking a cigarette, go for a walk with the family and play sports. A breath of fresh air in the densely populated district of Hamra: not to be missed. Sanayeh's garden opens at the first light of the day and closes at sunset. A hot drinks vendor is at the entrance. Inside the park, one can notice the Hamidiye fountain, an 8 m high achievement, built in 1900.

Opposite the Sanayeh garden, the Ministry of the Interior and the former premises of the Lebanese University are located in two remarkable buildings built between 1905 and 1907 under the orders of Sultan Abdel Hamid.