Remnants of the French Mandate in Saida

Sidon, Lebanon - Reza - Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 : goo

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Saida is a mid-sized city of 70,000 in the South of Lebanon. Although it has been inhabited for a few thousand years, most buildings in the old core date to the 1500's or 1600's, when the area became a center for the orchards that once surrounded its souqs. It was a seat of a regional prince for some time, and as a result the old city boasts a few small palaces, in addition to the crusader castle which sits just off the coast.

During the French colonization of Lebanon from 1920-1943, Sidon (as it is generally known in English) began developing beyond its old city walls, and a central square with 5 main roads leading out was laid, one pointing in the direction of the souqs while the rest pointing north, south, and into the densely populated mountains. As a result, most of the architecture of this main street leading to the souqs can be traced to French Mandate period architecture.

This picture is taken from above the city walls, looking towards the main modern square.

While Sidon is mostly Muslim (and is a mix of Lebanese residents and Palestinian refugees who came after they were kicked out of Israel in 1948), there is a large Christian population, hence the church on the main street as seen above.

The main street (as well as a few side streets) has since been overtaken by small stalls selling fruits, sweets, and random articles of clothing. Picture taken looking from the new square towards the walls. The small yellow tower in the far distance is the top of a small palace in the old city (from which the last picture was taken).

A side street leading to the beach.

The city's recent history has been one of destruction and reconstruction. The 1948 influx of Palestinian refugees spurred a wave of destruction of the city's orchards as room had to be made for refugee camps, while the Israeli invasions of 1978 and then 1983 (as well as the ensuing occupation, which lasted years) was accompanied by widespread bombing that ripped apart chunks of the cities urban fabric.

Since 2000, however, when Israel withdrew from Lebanon, there has been unprecedented reconstruction amid growing investor confidence in the area, and the old city has witnessed a renewal project that has managed to successfully rebuild the souqs' infrastructure as well as create a more healthy, attractive inner city.

Despite this, ruins, especially from the French Mandate era, still dot the town. Many of the original owners have been killed in war and their descendants have either left the property unclaimed or are unaware of its existence, while for others the repairs are too costly and the memories too heavy to do much about the buildings...

While they give the area an eery feel, the fact that they are neither destroyed nor crudely preserved leaves them intact for future use... uses that are completely up the imagination

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Thomas: Nicely written and illustrated. Bravo, Alex !

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