Constructed in 1853 as an armed barracks shelter on top of a slope in the middle of Beirut, this humungous building was the base camp of the French representative amid the French command and turned into the home office of the Lebanese Prime Minister after the autonomy. The Grand Serail, as of now, is the workplace of the Prime Minister of Lebanon.
It is a notable ancient building, the most imperative of three Ottoman landmarks on the Serail slope. The other two are the Council for Development and Reconstruction and the Hamidiyyeh clock tower. The Grand Serail took after the compositional outline exemplifying the new Ottoman military association. The building was seriously harmed in the occasions of the Lebanese Civil War; its re-building took 900 work days to complete, and was finished in 1998.
Covering 39,700 square meters of ground space, the Grand Serail's four wings are arranged around a huge yard which is flanked in the middle by a limestone and Carrera marble wellspring. Both the outside and inside exteriors are secured by a sum of 588 curves and arcades. The two upper floors contain the Prime Minister's habitation and office, workplaces for his staff, and in addition the cupboard room and pastors' workplaces.
The ground floor comprises of a banquet hall, two areas for gatherings, a press room, and a yard. At last, an underground level incorporates an auto stop, workplaces and spaces for the faculty. All in all, the Grand Serail incorporates 430 rooms and chambers in addition to the quarters for the support and other administration rooms.
