Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli

Visited in May 2023.
In this case, I was lucky, because the architectural project of Oskar Niemeyer received the status of world heritage in January 2023, at an extraordinary session, in a number of objects under threat, together with Odessa. The 1950s were a time of rapid development of Lebanon, which gained independence during WWII. One of the symbols of the country's economic success was planned to be a permanent International Fair Center in Tripoli, then a confident northern competitor of Beirut. The Brazilian Oscar Niemeyer, who was at the peak of fame after the creation of the new capital of his homeland, was invited for the design. The project of the fair complex was ready in 1962, but the implementation was delayed: it took a long time to buy the land, the objects were technically difficult for local engineers and contractors. Nevertheless, by 1975, 15 buildings and structures were erected in varying degrees of readiness: the entrance group, the main 750-meter boomerang-shaped pavilion, the Lebanon pavilion, a dome theater, an arch, an amphitheater, a helipad, a prototype of a collective residential unit, now quite unsuccessfully renovated into a hotel. All the buildings of the complex are made of concrete, Niemeyer's signature style.

But in 1975, a 15-year civil war began in Lebanon, then a Syrian military base was located on the territory of the exhibition center, and then Tripoli was gradually marginalized and fundamentalized, and the facilities fell into disrepair. Nevertheless, it is a typical, well-recognizable Niemeyer, with …

 The site is very rundown and dilapidated. Nevertheless Niemeyer's buildings are always imaginative and interesting. The site is reminiscent of the Sputnik era when we looked to what our space age future would be like. It reminded me of the 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair designed by his disciples that I visited when a child. Unfortunately his vision of wide open public spaces never seems to attract the masses as he intended. Even Brasillia felt empty and neglected. There were virtually no other visitors here, yet the grounds could have been a lovely park for families. The good news is that it has been identified as a future Arab convention center and Qatar and other Arab countries are planning to invest heavily into refurbishing it and bringing some prosperity into this rather depressed area of Lebanon

Tripoli is Lebanon’s second largest city and a Tripoli day trip is worth it if you're in Lebanon. It’s a completely different world compared to Beirut. I left Beirut around 08:30 and was in Tripoli at 10:00. I visited both the International Fair and also Tripoli Old Town, both worth it!

Oscar Niemeyer designed the Rachid Karami International Fair in the late sixties for the World Fair in 1976. The fair ground was never finished as the civil war broke out in 1975. Today all the concrete structures are still there and not damaged by the war. The site is a 45-minute stroll as, honestly there isn't that much to see. I did climb, the tower, which was "partially locked". I think it wasn't allowed. Access is free to all the places. All buildings are empty but you can wander around freely.

When I visited, there was some youth event going on but a real new use for the place was never put in place.

I give it a 3.5 stars, as I like this architecture and this is certainly worth a place on the WHS list.