The Grudge (Al Ba'sa)

Al Ba'sa — "The Spite" — is the thinnest building in Beirut, a four-storey sliver in Manara that narrows to about 60 centimetres at one end. It is the architectural equivalent of a family feud written in concrete.

There is nothing to enter and nothing to do here for more than five minutes, but it is one of the most unexpectedly funny sights in the city. The location is easy to find on foot from the Corniche; ask for "Al Ba'sa" if you get lost.

things to do sight
A story
The story goes that two brothers inherited the family plot; one of them decided to build a building so narrow that it would blot out his sibling's sea view. The building still stands; the grudge presumably outlived both men.