Pine Residence

The Pine Residence, located in Beirut's Horsh district, serves as the official residence of the French ambassador to Lebanon and is a site of significant historical importance. Originally built in 1916 by Alfred Moussa Sursock, it was initially part of a leisure complex and later repurposed as a military hospital during World War I. The residence is notable for being the location from which General Henri Gouraud announced the establishment of the State of Greater Lebanon in 1920. After Lebanese independence in 1943, it became the ambassador's residence, enduring periods of neglect during the Lebanese Civil War before being restored in the 1990s. Today, it stands as both a diplomatic residence and a historic monument, reflecting the architectural evolution of Beirut influenced by European styles and the city's rich cultural history.