Rue de Phénicie
Encyclopedia
Rue de Phénicie or Phoenicia Street is a street in Beirut
, Lebanon
. The street runs north-south from the Mediterranean uphill to where Rue John Kennedy
meets Rue Omar Daouk, intersecting along the way Rue Ibn Sina, Rue London, and Rue Rustom Pacha.
The street is located in the Zaytuneh neighborhood of Ras Beirut
, where in the mid-1800s the city expanded westerly outside the city walls and was formally recognized during the period of the French Mandate with the construction of Avenue des Français
that ran along its seaboard.
After independence, the neighborhood was known for its numerous cafes, bars, cabarets and brothels, such as the Black Elephant, the Lido, and Eve, and the night scene expanded to include Rue de Phénicie, which quickly surpassed any other streets in the neighborhood, becoming "the night's center of gravity". The upsurge of Rue de Phénicie was due to the opening of the ritzy nightclub, Les Caves du Roy, that quickly became the hangout of the rich and famous, including Marlon Brando and Brigitte Bardo. The infamous cabaret, The Crazy Horse
, a favorite hangout of pre-terrorism Osama Bin Laden, was also located on the street. Other establishments on the street in the 1960s and 1970s was Lucky Luke as well as Stéréo-Club and Epi-Club that catered to a younger clientele. Restaurants were also plentiful, including the fashionable Grenier des Artistes.
In postwar Beirut, the night scene had already migrated from Rue de Phénicie to Rue Monnot
and Rue Gouraud
. Today, it is a quieter street and home to the Radisson Blu Martinez Hotel and smaller hotels.
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. The street runs north-south from the Mediterranean uphill to where Rue John Kennedy
Rue John Kennedy
Rue John Kennedy is a street in Beirut, Lebanon. The street, originally called Rue Perthuis, was renamed in honor of President John F. Kennedy on November 30, 1963...
meets Rue Omar Daouk, intersecting along the way Rue Ibn Sina, Rue London, and Rue Rustom Pacha.
The street is located in the Zaytuneh neighborhood of Ras Beirut
Ras Beirut
Ras Beirut is a luxurious residential neighborhood of Beirut. It is the most cosmopolitan and open-minded area of Beirut, where sizable populations of Christians, Muslims, and Druze coexist peacefully. It is known as the cultural and intellectual center of Beirut...
, where in the mid-1800s the city expanded westerly outside the city walls and was formally recognized during the period of the French Mandate with the construction of Avenue des Français
Avenue des Français
Avenue des Français was a wide, palm-lined, seaside street in Beirut, Lebanonand now part of the pedestrian promenade, The Shoreline Walk.-History:...
that ran along its seaboard.
After independence, the neighborhood was known for its numerous cafes, bars, cabarets and brothels, such as the Black Elephant, the Lido, and Eve, and the night scene expanded to include Rue de Phénicie, which quickly surpassed any other streets in the neighborhood, becoming "the night's center of gravity". The upsurge of Rue de Phénicie was due to the opening of the ritzy nightclub, Les Caves du Roy, that quickly became the hangout of the rich and famous, including Marlon Brando and Brigitte Bardo. The infamous cabaret, The Crazy Horse
The Crazy Horse
The Crazy Horse, named after the Parisian Crazy Horse , is a legendary cabaret on Rue de Phénicie in Beirut, Lebanon. It was an infamous nightclub during the 1960s and 1970s when it was both a bar and a brothel, and considered the most outrageous of Beirut’s bawdy nightlife establishments...
, a favorite hangout of pre-terrorism Osama Bin Laden, was also located on the street. Other establishments on the street in the 1960s and 1970s was Lucky Luke as well as Stéréo-Club and Epi-Club that catered to a younger clientele. Restaurants were also plentiful, including the fashionable Grenier des Artistes.
In postwar Beirut, the night scene had already migrated from Rue de Phénicie to Rue Monnot
Rue Monnot
Rue Monnot , is street in Beirut, Lebanon. The street is located east of Beirut Central District in the Sodeco neighborhood of Achrafieh which is one of the "Christian quarters" of Beirut...
and Rue Gouraud
Rue Gouraud
Rue Gouraud is a mixed residential and commercial street in Gemmayzeh, a neighborhood in the Achrafieh district of Beirut in Lebanon. The street, which was named after the French General Henri Gouraud, has become one of Beirut's trendiest streets with numerous high-end restaurants, French cafes,...
. Today, it is a quieter street and home to the Radisson Blu Martinez Hotel and smaller hotels.