Martyrs’ Monument, Beirut

The monument was built in honor of martyrs executed on May 6 in 1916 on what is now Martyrs’ Square, at the orders of Ottoman military ruler Djemal Pasha.

Youssef Hoyek - Martyrs Square statue (1930)

In 1930, during the French Mandate, the first commemorative sculpture was erected on the square in memory of Lebanese and Arab nationalists hanged during World War I at the orders of Ottoman military ruler Jamal Pasha. The original monument (right) by Youssef Hoyek represented two women, a Muslim and a Christian, holding hands in a symbolic gesture over an urn that represented their martyred childrens' ashes. Hoyek carved on their chests a stylized shahada (لا إله إلا الله) and a small cross respectively.

In 1956, President Camille Chamoun laid the foundation stone of a monument conceived by architect Sami Abdel Baki. It would have consisted of an arch soaring over an obelisk, but the monument never materialized.

Today, the four-meter-high statue of the Martyrs that adorns the square was created by Italian artist Marino Mazzacurati, and inaugurated by President Fouad Chehab in 1960. Damaged during the Civil War (1975-1990), the Martyrs’ monument was dismantled in 1996 and restored by the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik. The restoration intentionally preserved the marks of war damage.

• 1930: First commemorative sculpture was erected on Martyrs' Square in memory of Lebanese and Arab nationalists hanged during World War I by the Ottomans.
• 1956: President Camille Chamoun laid foundation stone of monument designed by Sami Abdel Baki which was never realised.
• 1960: President Fouad Chehab inaugurated the new sculpture of the Martyrs' Monument, designed by Marino Mazzacurati.
• 1996: Monument was dismantled and restored in the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik.

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  The monument at Martyrs' Square by Italian sculptor Marino Mazzacurati...
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  ...was initially inaugurated in 1960.
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  It commemorates the hanging of a cross-confessional group of Lebanese Patriots...
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  ... who had spoken against Turkish rule by Ottoman General Jamal Pasha in 1916.
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  It was decided to keep the traces of the Civil War as a reminder.

• Jamal Pasha
• Youssef Hoyek
• Sami Abdel Baki
• Marino Mazzacurati
• Holy Spirit University of Kaslik
• Lebanese Civil War

• Kassir, Samir (2003) Histoire de Beyrouth, Fayard, Paris.
• Sassine Farès et Tuéni, Ghassan (direction) (2003) El-Bourj. Place de la Liberté et Porte du Levant, Editions Dar an-Nahar, Beyrouth.}}