Achrafieh

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Achrafieh, sometimes spelled as Ashrafieh (and could grammatically be pronounced as "Ashrafi'ya"), is a part of Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon. It is located on a hill in the eastern part of Beirut. Up until the 1930s, it was largely composed of farmland owned and farmed by a few families. Other families living in Downtown Beirut and other low-lying areas of Beirut were known in the early part of the 20th century and earlier to spend their summers in Achrafieh. The Lebanese government which at the time was under French Mandate partitioned the land in Achrafieh to build roads and highways, forcing these farming families to eventually sell large parts of their land.

During the Lebanese Civil War, which started in 1975 Achrafieh grew to be an important base for the Lebanese Christian militias, and formed part of Christian East Beirut.

Today, Achrafieh is a dense residential and commercial district characterized by narrow winding streets and large apartment and office buildings. It is a location of investment and tourism. The Achrafieh is known to be one of the most important shopping centers in Lebanon.

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