Vintage Photos Showcase Beirut as 'Paris of the Middle East'

Vintage photos of Beirut when it was known as the 'Paris of the Middle East'

Beirut in July 1958. Pringle/AP Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, is one of the oldest cities in the world. From the 1950s to the 1970s, it was known as the "Paris of the Middle East." A 15-year civil war beginning in 1975 ended the city's "Golden Age." Beirut has been inhabited for over 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest cities on the planet. And, much like any other ancient city, it has been shaped by years of trade, complex domestic and foreign conflicts, and colonialism. But one of ...