1920s Grand Theatre, Lebanon

The 1920s Grand Theatre was once a thriving cultural venue in Lebanon. This once-beautiful location is now little more than a shell due to decades of civil war damage. The horseshoe-shaped auditorium used to be able to hold over 600 people. This large audience was spread across several levels of seating; two balconies and stalls. A steel dome atop the auditorium could be pulled open on rails to let in fresh air during the scorching summers of Lebanon. The towering foyer’s dome ceiling was stained glass-decorated.

I visited this location during my 2023 tour of Lebanon. Much of the inside has crumbled away, making access to the upper floor a little interesting!

History Of the Abandoned Lebanese Grand Theatre

The Grand Theatre was designed and constructed during the 1920s. The building’s design incorporates elements of Art Deco as well as (possibly more prominently) Moorish Revival. There was once a hotel, as well as apartments, offices, and retail space, sharing this plot.

A Broadway musical was performed for the opening night audience, which brought the stage to life. Besides musicals, the theatre also featured ballets and concerts. Over the years, this venue has hosted countless Middle Eastern and French artists and theatre troupes. As cinema became increasingly popular, the Grand Theatre began to show international films alongside more traditional theatrical works. In the 1960s, it had become a movie theatre only.

On rare occasions, the building served as a field hospital for wounded soldiers during the 1975–1990 Lebanese civil war. The building sustained damage as a result of the heavy combat that took place in this area, and it was eventually left completely unoccupied. An organisation specialising in urban renewal took over control of the Grand Theatre after the Civil War. They have, on the one hand, repaired the exterior and stabilised the theater’s foundation. Nevertheless, all further development ceased many years ago, and there is little chance that it will continue any time soon.