Beirut is the capital, largest city, and chief seaport of Lebanon. It is sometimes referred to by its French name, Beyrouth. Originally named "The Wells" by the Phoenicians, Beirut's history goes back more than 5000 years. Excavations in the downtown area have unearthed layers of Phoenician, Hellenistic, Roman, Arab and Ottoman civilizations. The heart of Beirut, Downtown, should be the starting point of any visit. From there one can explore the surrounding areas.
Beirut was called the "Paris of the Middle East" because of its vibrant outdoor cafe culture and European architecture, and Beirut remained the intellectual capital of the Arab world and a major commercial and tourist center until 1975 when a brutal civil war broke out in Lebanon. The central area of the city, previously the focus of much of the commercial and cultural activities, became a no man's land. Since the end of the war in 1989, the people of Lebanon have been rebuilding Beirut, and by the start of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict the city had somewhat regained its status as a tourist, cultural, and intellectual center in the Middle East, as well as a center for commerce, fashion, and media.