The city of Anjar was founded by Caliph Walid I at the beginning of the 8th century.The town Anjaar takes its name from the Arabic term "Ayn Al-Jaar," or "water from the rock," and is known for the streams that flow from the nearby mountains. It is a unique city in several ways. Anjaar is the only set of Omayaad ruins in Lebanon, and there were no artifacts at Anjaar of the many other societies that inhabited the Bekka Valley before them.
Known in ancient times as Heliopolis, greek for "city of the sun", the modern name may be connected with the ancient Canaanite god Baal. The ruins of the ancient town are centered around the acropolis which incorporates the Temple of Jupiter (which took 200 years to complete) and the Temple of Bacchus, which was erected around 150 AD. Both temples were dedicated to the Heliopolitan triad - Hadal, the Syrian God of Thunder, Atorgatis, the Syrian Goddess of Nature, and a youthful god who was a protector of crops. These ruins are an important relic of the so called pagan cults of the time.
Byblos is said to be the oldest inhabited city in the world, the source of the first Phoenician letters that gave us our alphabet. Byblos was the major seaport of the east Mediterranean during the 3rd millenium BC. The ruins include the perimeter walls, the Temple of Baalat-Gebal (the goddess of the city), the Temple of the Gbelisks and the royal tombs. There are also ruins dating from Roman times and the crusader castle and church.
Founded at the start of the third millennium BC, Tyre originally consisted of a mainland settlement and a modest island city that lay a short distance off shore. But it was not until the first millennium BC that the city experienced its golden age. In the 10th Century BC Hiram, King of Tyre, joined two islets by landfill. Later he extended the city further by reclaiming a considerable area from the sea.
The best-known cedar is the cedar of Lebanon, mentioned often in the Old Testament; the First Temple of Solomon was built of this wood.
One of the deepest and most beautiful valleys in Lebanon,is indeed a world apart. At the bottom of this wild-sided gorge runs the Qadisha River whose source is in the Qadisha River at the foot of the Cedars. And above the famous Cedar grove stands Qornet es Sawda, Lebanon's highest peak.
The Qadisha Valley in northern Lebanon is an area of early Christian monastic settlement where Maronite Christians have been coming to live and pray since the late 7th century. The deep gorge carved by the Qadisha River was deemed a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1998. Now its status may be in danger.
This valley is as rich historically as it is visually. It's home to some of the most ancient Christian monasteries, and its natural caves or 'hermitages,' were used as shelters and burial grounds going back more than 10,000 years. Historians say the 10-kilometer-long valley contains at least six houses of worship, including churches, monasteries and convents.
The United Nations cultural organization UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site in 1998 - a designation for places of special physical or cultural value. Now UNESCO is warning the Lebanese government to clean up Qadisha or it could be removed from the World Heritage list.
for more info, watch this video: Lebanon's Qadisha Valley Threatened by Development
A land of golden beaches and stunning mountain landscapes. Landscapes that change with the seasons, but are always bathed in the warm sun. The daylight rising over Lebanon brings endless opportunities of fun, beach, nature and outdoor activities. You’ll never know what to choose. Whatever it will be, an unforgettable time awaits you under the shiny Lebanese sun.
What distinguished tourism in Lebanon from other contries is in the region is the variety of monumental sights due to the Greek, Roman, Islamic civilizations that left a deep and obvious proof to their presence in Lebanon long time ago. As mentioned previously, Lebanon's nature attracted tourists with its matches geography where tourists are able to enjoy ice skiing and swimming during one day.
Lebanon has a moderate climate, for its location in the northern hemisphere of Earth. This has provided it with four different seasons, and its long wide coast moderate our climate to be an attraction to all people. The east and west chain of mountains has performed a wonderful and unique geographical sites where high and huge mountains are formed. This lead to the formation of lofty peaks very deap valleys, fertile fields, and amazing natural caves.
...Not only is Lebanon's rigime unique in the Arab countries, but also in the whole region. It is parliamentary republic. The parliament consists of 128 members. The president is elected by the members of the parliament for successive six years. The Cabinet runs the country's internal and external affairs which is represented by the prime minister who is entrusted by the president and the members of the parliament.
Lebanon is a country of fame due to its long history of occupation by settlers and foreign civilizations. Lebanon is a country with an Arabian identity and it is located in the Middle East. It covers an area of 10452 Kilometers squared. Syria is what bounds Lebanon form the north and east, where as Palestine is what bounds Lebanon form the south. What distinguished Lebanon from other countries in the region is many...to be continued :P
1914: World War I (invasion of turkish forces) 1939: World War II (invasion of French Forces) 1982: invasion of Isreali forces 1985: civil war 1996: 2nd invasion of isreali forces 2006: 3rd invasion of isreali forces
