Our History
Charles Corm
Charles Corm (1894-1963) was a writer, industrialist and philanthropist who loved Lebanon with pride. He devoted his adult life wielding the torch of national unity. At the age of 40, he quit a successful business empire to dedicate his time to poetry and writing. He founded and directed La Maison d’Art in 1913, and La Revue Phénicienne in 1919. He wrote

and published more than 20 books, mostly revolving around one theme, the love for his country and the pride of his heritage. He was a founding member of the National Library of Beirut and the association of Friends of the Museum of Beirut. Over the course of his life, Corm received more than 100 national and international honors and awards including the Edgar Allan Poe International Prize of Poetry in 1934, the Citizen of Honor of New York City in 1939 and the Medal of Honor of the Académie Française in 1950.
The Foundation
The Phoenician Heritage Institute is located in the Charles Corm building that stands tall and bright like a cultural beacon in the center of Beirut since 1928. This building, designed by Corm in an Art-Deco style, is the home of the Charles Corm Foundation which was was established in 2016 to revive the legacy of Charles Corm. It is also an archive of Corm’s writings, artwork and other professional and personal work that underpins the essence of his life time achievements. The building also houses the publishing house Les Editions de la Revue Phénicienne, founded by Corm in 1920.