Grand Sofar Hotel
About
Built in 1892 by Alfred Sursock beside the Beirut–Damascus railway, the Grand Sofar Hotel was Lebanon's first licensed casino and the glamorous summer haunt of emirs, artists and singers such as Umm Kulthum. Abandoned during the civil war, its grand stone shell now stands as a hauntingly beautiful heritage ruin that occasionally reopens for art exhibitions and cultural events. It remains one of the Aley heights' most evocative and photographed landmarks, facing the old Sofar train station.
Good for
Location
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