Beirut - Holiday Inn

The shredded tower of the Holiday Inn was completed, but never opened, just before the outbreak of the civil war. Its commanding height made it a prize sniper position and it bears the signatures of all calibers of artillery and other ordinance. Passed back and forth between Moslem and Christian hands, its trapped defenders often chose to leap in lieu of capture. Surprisingly, the building is said to still be structurally sound, so in theory it could be renovated.

Photo circa 2004.