Full Name
Republic of Lebanon
Capital City
Beirut (pop: 1.5 million)
Area
10,452 sq km
4,036 sq miles
Population
4,400,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +2 ()
Daylight Saving Start
end of March
Daylight Saving End
end of October
Languages
Arabic (official)
French (other)
English (other)
Armenian (other)
Religion
60% Muslim, 40% Christian
Currency
Lebanese Pound (LL)
Electricity
230V 50HzHz
Electric Plug Details
European plug with two circular metal pins
British-style plug with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade
American-style plug with two parallel flat blades above a circular grounding pin
Japanese-style plug with two parallel flat blades
South African/Indian-style plug with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin
Country Dialing Code
961

Qadisha Valley & Cedars Forest: A Natural & Spiritual Sanctuary
 
In the heart of the Mount Lebanon range, below red-roofed villages that dot the mountainside, lies the Qadisha Valley. Cut deep into the mountainous rock, the Qadisha Valley has a unique landscape of steep walls and dizzying cliffs. Its quiet, tree-lined pathways and softly gurgling streams and waterfalls make it a true haven for visitors escaping the bustling sounds and sights of the city.

Known as the “Holy Valley,” the Qadisha has been a place of refuge for those fleeing religious persecution since the 5th century, and it houses some of the most important early Christian monastic settlements in the world. Rock-cut chapels, grottoes, and hermitages, many painted with frescoes dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, are tucked into the steep walls.

Among the important monasteries located in the valley is Deir Qannoubine, the seat of the Maronite patriarchs from 1400-1790 A.D. Seventeen Maronite patriarchs are buried in a chapel near the monastery, their names carved in Syriac script on a marble plaque identifying the site. Other notable Qadisha monasteries include Deir Mar Elisha, where the Lebanese Maronite Order was founded in 1696, and Deir Mar Antonios Qozhaya, home to Lebanon's first printing press.

High above the Qadisha Valley and the red-roofed village of Bcharré are the ancient Cedars of Lebanon. This small grove of Cedars, known as Arz Ar Rab (“Cedars of the Lord”), contains about 300 trees • all are at least 200 years old, and some are over 1,000 years old. These majestic trees stand as tall as 35 meters high, and their branches form a green canopy that is especially striking against a backdrop of winter snow.

Lebanon's cedars were highly prized in ancient times for their use in the construction of great palaces and religious buildings, such as Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem and the temple of Seti I in Thebes (Luxor, Egypt). The Phoenicians exported cedar wood to kingdoms throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East regions for use in temples, palaces, and shipbuilding and for funerary purposes in Egypt (building of sarcophagi and use of cedar oil for mummification).

Cedar forests once blanketed Lebanon, and the tree stands as a symbol of the country itself. However, following centuries of deforestation, there are only a few highly protected reserves of cedars remaining. In addition to this small cedar grove near Bcharré, there are six cedar forests within the large Al-Shouf Cedar Reserve; a large forest of trees in the Tannourine Reserve; and smaller, less accessible groves in the Horsh Ehden Reserve and in the village of Jaj (near Laqlouq).

The Qadisha Valley and Cedars region is a prime destination for nature enthusiasts, with abundant opportunities for hiking and trekking, mountain climbing, caving, and other natural exploration. In the wintertime, the nearby Cedars Ski Resort, along with the other resorts in the northern Mount Lebanon region, are popular destinations for skiing and winter sports.

The small, picturesque villages surrounding the upper rim of the Qadisha Valley offer visitors a glimpse of traditional Lebanese village life, cuisine, and cultural and religious traditions. The Qadisha is also the birthplace and burial place of the famed Lebanese poet and artist Khalil Gibran, in the town of Bcharré.

Jbail (Byblos): Ancient Crossroads of the Mediterranean

Jbail (Byblos) is a true microcosm of the civilizations that have populated Lebanon over the centuries. Believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, the modern port city of Jbail (Byblos) is built upon multiple layers of ruins, dating back to as early as the Stone Age and extending to the more recent Ottoman days. A visit to Jbail (Byblos) is a chance to walk through the annals of Lebanese history and experience firsthand the diverse cultures that have made this area a mosaic of civilizations. Jbail (Byblos) is not simply a picturesque seaside town, but has a history that has been closely tied to the Mediterranean for millennia.

Historians believe that the site of Jbail (Byblos) dates back at least 7,000 years (beginning around 5,000-4,000 B.C.), when a small Neolithic fishing community settled along the shore of the Mediterranean. From that period onward, new settlers brought new ways of life and new customs, leaving a variety of artifacts and the remnants of houses and buildings that trace the city's ancient history. Today's visitors can see the remains of several Stone Age huts with crushed limestone floors, the foundations of Chalcolithic houses (4,500-3,500 B.C.), the vestiges of an Early Bronze Age residence, and the remains of ancient defensive ramparts and temples.

By around 3,000 B.C., Jbail (Byblos) was inhabited by Canaanites, or Phoenicians, and became the first Phoenician city to trade actively with the Egyptian Old Kingdom. Jbail (Byblos) developed into the most important commercial center in the eastern Mediterranean, trading cedar wood, olive oil, and wine for gold, alabaster, papyrus, and other goods from the Egyptian pharaohs. In the royal necropolis at Jbail (Byblos) can be found the nine underground tombs of the Jbail (Byblos) kings.

Perhaps the Phoenicians' most impressive contribution to the world is the development of the first alphabetic phonetic script, the precursor of the modern-day alphabet. It is believed that scholars of Jbail (Byblos) developed the Phoenician alphabet. The oldest evidence of the Phoenician alphabet discovered to date is the inscription on the sarcophagus of King Ahiram of Jbail (Byblos) (10th century B.C.), which is now on display at the National Museum in Beirut.

Following the conquest by Alexander the Great, Jbail (Byblos) fell under Greek rule and adopted the Greek language and culture. The Greeks gave the city its name of Jbail (Byblos), which means “papyrus” or “paper.” The city was an important center for trading papyrus, on which many religious texts, public documents, private letters, astronomical, and mathematical texts were written.

In the first century B.C., the Romans took Jbail (Byblos), and constructed large temples, baths, and other buildings. Artifacts of the Roman era include the remains of a Roman theater (218 A.D.), columns lining the ancient colonnaded street, and a Roman nympheum (a monumental public fountain). Roman rule in Jbail (Byblos) was followed by Byzantine rule (399-636 A.D.) and then Arab rule (636-1104 A.D.).There are few archaeological remains of these periods.

In 1104, Jbail (Byblos) was conquered by the Crusaders, who used the large Roman stones and columns to construct their own castle and a moat. This castle was later reused and renovated by the Mamlukes (13th-16th centuries A.D.) and the Ottomans (16th-20th centuries A.D.). Today, the 12th century Crusader castle towers over the Jbail (Byblos) ruins, and climbing to the top of the castle is an excellent vantage point for taking in a panoramic view of the ruins and the Mediterranean Sea.

Before Jbail (Byblos) was excavated in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, these layers of ruins were buried in earth, forming a mound nearly 12 meters high, and covered with houses and gardens. Over the last century, historians have excavated the site, digging through each layer of stone and earth to uncover a unique period of history in this port city.

Modern visitors to Jbail (Byblos) can undertake their own historical excavation here, exploring the layers of ruins and artifacts to unearth the ancient civilizations of Lebanon.

Sour's (Tyre's) list of former rulers and conquerors reads likes a Who's-Who from Antiquity. From King Hiram (980 B.C.), who supplied Lebanese cedars to King Solomon for the building of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem; to the Phoenician Princess Elissa (also known as Dido), who left Sour (Tyre) to found the famous city of Carthage (814 B.C.); to the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who laid siege to the city for 13 years (500 B.C.); to Alexander the Great, who conquered Sour (Tyre) by building a causeway to connect the island city to the mainland (332 B.C.) • these are only the B.C. period highlights.

In Phoenician times, Sour (Tyre) was famous for its export of richly dyed purple textiles, using a dye extracted from the murex sea snail. Because of its rarity, the color was typically worn by royalty. The Tyrean purple dye was so highly valued that the Greeks named the people living in the city state “Phoenicians,” after the Greek word for “purple.”

With over 5,000 years of history, Sour (Tyre) is a historian and archaeologist's delight. Although there are remnants of Egyptian, Assyrian, Phoenician, Greek, Byzantine, Arab, and Ottoman civilizations in the city, it is the Roman ruins that are most prominent in Sour (Tyre) today. Highlights include the largest Roman hippodrome in the world, an enormous triumphal arch, and an extensive Roman necropolis.

Sour's (Tyre's) archaeological treasures are spread over two main sites:

Entering the City Site (or Al-Mina Site), visitors walk along a long colonnaded road, leading from the ancient marketplace down to the harbor. Mosaics from the Byzantine period line the pavement. The site includes the ruins of an unusual rectangular Roman arena or pool (probably used for sports), an extensive Roman bathhouse complex, and mosaic-floored residential buildings. The current site was once two Phoenician island cities that were joined together by King Hiram in the 10th century B.C. Looking off into the harbor, visitors can see large stones above the surface of the water, which are the remnants of the Phoenician jetties and breakwaters.

A short distance north of the City Site is a Crusader Cathedral, where visitors can view the 12th century church's foundations and granite columns. According to legend, the King of Jerusalem was once crowned here, and the remains of the German king Frederick Barbarossa are buried here. The cathedral is surrounded by a network of Roman and Byzantine roads and other buildings.

Perhaps the most impressive ruins are located at the large Al-Bass Site, a 20-30 minute walk east of the City Site. This walk takes you through a residential section of Sour (Tyre) called Hay El-Ramel, or the “Quarter of Sand,” which is in fact the causeway built by Alexander the Great during his siege of the ancient island city in 332 B.C.

At the Al-Bass Site, a monumental triple bay stone archway towers over an ancient Roman road that led into the city. Running alongside this road are the remains of the aqueducts that supplied the city with water. A massive necropolis reveals hundreds of ornate stone and marble sarcophagi from the Roman and Byzantine periods (dating from as early as the 2nd century B.C. through the 6th century A.D.).

Also located at the Al-Bass Site is the largest and best-preserved Roman hippodrome in the world. Death-defying chariot races took place here, and the enormous stone stands (which have been partially reconstructed) once seated over 20,000 people.

While a visit to Sour's (Tyre's) ruins alone can occupy several hours or a day, there is a wealth of other activities and attractions for visitors to the area. Adventure-lovers can snorkel or dive in search of underwater Phoenician and Roman ruins that lie submerged off the coast of the city or in search of a glimpse of the famed murex sea snail. Culture-lovers will enjoy exploring the bustling Ottoman-era souks in the old city and visiting the waterside fish restaurants that overlook the colorful harbor. In close proximity to Sour (Tyre) are several Biblical sites, which include the Tomb of King Hiram, the Phoenician King of Sour (Tyre) who was a contemporary of Kind David and King Solomon, and the village of Qana, where it is believed that Jesus turned water into wine.

Baalbek's awe-inspiring temples and city ruins are among the largest and finest examples of Roman architecture in the world. Visitors can easily spend several hours, or an entire day, exploring the wonders of this ancient city • from the grandeur of the columned temples to the intricately carved stonework, and the sheer size of the stones used to construct the temples. Like many archaeologists and historians, you will be amazed at the ancient feats of engineering required to build these magnificent stone monuments.

Located in the fertile Békaa Valley, the city of Baalbek originated in Phoenician times as a place of worship to Baal, the Phoenician Sun God. During the Hellenistic period (333-64 B.C.), the Greeks named the city Heliopolis, or “City of the Sun.” However, Baalbek entered its golden age in 47 B.C., when Julius Caesar made it a Roman colony.

Perhaps because of the area's agricultural importance in feeding the eastern inhabitants of the Roman Empire • or perhaps because of its strategic location along the major east-west and north-south trading routes • the Romans selected this site to construct the largest religious temples in their empire. Over a span of 200 years (60 B.C.-150 A.D.), a succession of Roman emperors oversaw the construction of the magnificent temples to honor the divine Roman trinity: Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury. These temples also served as a monument to the wealth and power of Imperial Rome.

Modern-day visitors to Baalbek can enter the site through the majestic Roman propylaea (ceremonial entrance) and walk through the two large colonnaded courtyards to reach the complex's great temples:

The Temple of Jupiter was the largest Roman temple ever constructed. Today, just six of the original 54 Corinthian columns remain standing. Each column is 22 meters (66 feet) high and 2 meters (7.5 feet) in diameter, hinting at the temple's enormous size in the time of the Roman Empire .
The Temple of Bacchus is the best-preserved Roman temple in the Middle East. Although smaller than the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Bacchus is still larger than the Parthenon in Athens. The dedication and purpose of this temple, and its relationship to the rest of the temple complex, remain a mystery.
The Temple of Venus is a smaller, domed structure set apart to the southeast of the complex. During the Byzantine period, the temple was converted into a church honoring Saint Barbara.
Only part of the staircase from the Temple of Mercury can still be seen on Sheikh Abdallah hill, a short distance away from the main temple site.

Although the temples were closed and partially destroyed when the region was Christianized, the city of Baalbek lived on as other civilizations left their mark at the site. Byzantine Emperor Theodosius tore down the altars of the Temple of Jupiter and built a basilica using the temple's stones and architectural elements. The remains of this basilica can still be seen near the stairway of the Temple of Jupiter. During the Arab conquests, the temple ruins were fortified, and the area was given the Arab name Qalaa, meaning “fortress.” Remains of a great mosque, dating from the 8th century Umayyad period, can be seen in front of the acropolis entrance.

Much of Baalbek was later destroyed by earthquakes. However, in the 19th century, a German mission began to excavate and reconstruct the Baalbek ruins. Thanks to the efforts of German, French, and Lebanese archaeologists, visitors can now have a glimpse of what the site looked like in its original grandeur. Baalbek is truly a wonder of the ancient world and should not be missed by any visitor to Lebanon.