Substantial work is underway to restore the Libyan capital's old city to something like its former gloryAdvertising Read moreTripoli (AFP)In alleys criss-crossing the Libyan capital's Old City, construction crews are hard at work restoring former glory to architectural treasures neglected under ex-dictator Moamer Kadhafi and in the decade since. The substantial restoration underway seeks to "preserve the heritage of the Old City" in Tripoli, said Mahmoud al-Naas, head of the management committee overseeing the project. Built by the Phoenicians in the 7th century BC, Tripoli's Old City has passed from civilisation to civilisation, notably the ancient Greeks, Romans and the Ottoman empire. In some places, the walls of old buildings awaiting facelifts are bolstered by wooden beams that extend across alleyways like bridges. "The Old City is coming back to us," rejoiced Mohamad Nasser, whose seafront shop selling fishing and diving gear is a prime beneficiary of the restoration work.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 15, 2021 02:48 UTC