Palais Sursock Beirut

On 4 August 2020, 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded at Beirut’s port, killing over 200 people, injuring thousands, and leaving 300,000 homeless. One of the most powerful non-nuclear blasts in history, it caused devastation across the city. The historic Sursock Palace, overlooking the port, suffered severe damage. Built in 1860, the palace housed Ottoman-era art, antiques, and heirlooms collected over generations. The explosion collapsed roofs, shattered windows, cracked masonry, and destroyed priceless objects. Statues were decapitated, canvases slashed, and centuries-old furniture reduced to splinters. This photographic journal documents the tragic destruction of one of Lebanon’s most iconic landmarks. A devastation many believe was preventable.