American University of Beirut, Private university in Beirut, Lebanon
The American University of Beirut is a private university in Beirut, Lebanon, spreading across a wide campus with lecture halls, research centers, and dormitories. The university grounds sit on a hillside with direct views of the Mediterranean and include botanical gardens as well as several historic stone buildings in Levantine style.
The American missionary Daniel Bliss founded the Syrian Protestant College in 1866 with just 16 students, which later changed its name to the American University of Beirut. The institution survived the Lebanese Civil War and several regional conflicts, maintaining its teaching operations almost continuously.
The campus officially carries the name Campus Green Field, while students and faculty usually refer to it simply as AUB. Many walls display inscriptions in both Arabic and English, reflecting the bilingual practice of daily life.
Visitors can enter the publicly accessible areas of the campus, including the waterfront promenade and some gardens, while faculty buildings are usually open only to enrolled students and staff. Guided tours are occasionally offered and should be requested in advance.
The Archaeological Museum on campus preserves a collection of Lebanese and Middle Eastern artifacts that students and visitors can view without a separate entrance ticket. The botanical garden contains trees over 100 years old, including pines and cypresses that date back to the founding era.
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