Grand Serail

The Grand Serail is a monumental Ottoman-era palace on a low hill in central Beirut that now houses the office of the Lebanese prime minister. Built in the mid-19th century as a military barracks, it was later converted for civil administration and restored after the civil war. Its long arcaded façades and inner courtyards surround gardens, and a historic clock tower stands nearby on the same hilltop. As the seat of government, access is restricted, but the grand stone building remains a prominent landmark overlooking the downtown district.