When I saw this sign with a friend we wondered whether this is Bab Idriss turning into a Qatari-Sheikh-Street... Luckily, we still have Bab Idriss, it's Omar Daouk that is gone. Tried to search for him on the net, no trace of who he was (Any input is highly welcome).
Bab meaning Door in Arabic, Bab Idriss is one of the main entrances to the old city of Beirut when it had a wall around it. While most of the other "Bab_" names of streets are lost, this one still reminds us of the history Downtown Beirut holds. Keep it.
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| Bab Al Darkeh 1848 |
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| Bab Al Saraya 1920 |
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| BAB IDRISS 1920 |
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| Bab Yaacoub- 1906 |
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| Bab Al Darkeh- 1848 |
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| Google maps still calls it Omar Daouk Street. Click to enlarge. |
They need to seriously stop ruining our country and our heritage and erasing all that we are.
ReplyDeleteOmar Daouq was one of the true heroes of the famine of WWI. He was the head of the municipality, and almost single-handedly convinced the Ottoman Wali, 'Azmi Bey to run soup kitchens and shelters across Beirut to feed and later house the tens of thousands of starving people in the city - many of whom had come down from Mount Lebanon in search of work or food. He took over the leadership of the city after the Ottomans officially left before the Allied occupation.
ReplyDeleteTylor thank you!! :) :) it is great to see this mystery (at least for me) solved after 3 years. There is very few info on the net about him. But it is good to see that in spite of the sign, google maps and the businesses around the street, still call it Omar Daouk Street, he surely deserves it!
DeleteWould you happen to know where I can find a biography about Omar Daouk? I cannot find anything about him online. I'm looking specifically for family tree info (parents, siblings, etc.) Many thanks!!
ReplyDeleteHello Heather, try contacting Tylor, who commented here above, he might have more info
DeletePlease follow this link to get a whole article on Omar Daouk:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.archivelebanon.com/dax-omar-muhammad-bey-daouk
Please follow this link to get a whole article on Omar Daouk:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.archivelebanon.com/dax-omar-muhammad-bey-daouk