Beirut was built on the largest rocky promontory of the coast the near center of the country. Later it would become capital of the modern nation, but in ancient times its deep harbor and central location were not so apparent and the city was overshadowed by more powerful neighbors. Its earliest name was "Birot," a Semitic word meaning "well" or "source" . When the city states of Sidon and Tyre began to decline in the first millennium B.C., Berytus, as it was then called, acquired more influence, but it was not until Roman times that it became an important port and cultural center with its famed Roman Law School. After Roman power waned, Greek influence dominated in the Byzantine period beginning in the 4th century A.D. Later, the Crusaders held the city for some 200 years. It was only at the end of the 19th century, after 400 years of Ottoman rule, that Beirut began to develop and modernize.

Modern Beirut, which has well over a million inhabitants, remains the cultural and commercial center of the country. Although the city center was left in ruins by the war, business was taken to other parts of Beirut and commerce continued as usual. In the 1990's, however, plans were made to reconstruct and develop this war-ruined area. Over a period of 25 years the project will turn Beirut into a city that is modern yet retains its familiar eastern flavor. Such landmarks as Martyrs' Square, the Parliament Building, the Serail and the traditional souks are all part of the new design that covers 1.6 million square meters.

Extensive archaeological investigations into the city's past are also being carried out under the general redevelopment plan.