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WELCOM E

TO
BAALBECK
Discover responsibly the cultural, social
and religious value of the City of Sun

All Rights reserved


First edition 2012
ISBN 978-9953-0-2480-6

Table of Contents
8

Baalbeck

10

How to get to Baalbeck

12

Geography and Climate

14

Baalbeck History

16

Baalbeck-Heliopolis: history of the city


Names of the City

16

The Bronze and Iron Ages 3500-333 B.C.

17

The Hellenistic period: 333-64 B.C.

18

The Roman era (64 B.C-333 A.D): the


golden age of Heliopolis

18

The Byzantine era (330-636 A.D.): the death


of a temple

19

The Islamic Arabic Conquest 635 A.D.

19

The Umayyads 635-750 A.D.

19

The Abbasids 750-972 A.D.

20

The Fatimids (972-1075 A.D.) and the Seljuk


Turks (1075-1139 A.D.)

20

The Ayyubids 1139-1250 A.D.

22

Baalbeck under the Mamluks: the second


golden age (1260-1516 A.D.)

23

The Ottomans 1516-1918 A.D.

28

Baalbeck a city of contemporary Lebanon

30

Baalbeck Culture

32

Baalbeck a UNESCO World Heritage site

34

Baalbeck and the Cultural Heritage and


Urban Development Project (CHUD)

Baalbeck Contents

16

Baalbeck Contents

36

Baalbeck-Heliopolis: the monuments

37

Caesars and stones: the building of


the sanctuary

38

The Triad of Heliopolis

38

IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO HELIOPOLITANO


(I.O.M.H.)

40

Juno of Heliopolis

40

The Archaeological Complex - Al Qalaa

40

Mercury of Heliopolis

42

Podium

42

Propylaeum

44

Hexagonal Forecourt

46

Great Court

46

Altar & the Tower

48

Columns & the Ritual Pools

49

Temple of Jupiter Heliopolitanus

50

Temple of Bacchus

52

Baalbecks Graffiti

52

Baalbeck Museum

54

Al Qalaa

56

Beit Nassif and Bustan al Khan

56

Temple of Venus

58

Temple of the Muses

58

Al Barbara Mosque

60

The Umayyad Mosque

62

The River Mosque

62

Al Hanabila Mosque

62

The Christian neighbourhood

64

Temple of Mercury

64

Qubbat al-Amjad

66

Sheikh Abdallah Hill and Zawiyat al


Yunini Mosque

66

Ras al-Imam al-Hussein Mosque

68

Ras al-Ayn spring

70

Architectural evolutions in Baalbeck

76

Qubbat Al-Saidayn

76

Roman and Ayyubid walls

77

Gouraud Barracks

78

Al Sayyida Khawla Shrine

80

Roman quarries

82

Shrine of Saint Elias

82

Qubbat Douris

84

Old Railroad Station

86

Famous people from Baalbeck

94

Mystics and saints from Baalbeck

96

Famous people in Baalbeck


Baalbeck Traditions

104

Festivals and special events

104

Baalbeck Tourism and Shopping Festival

106

The Solh family weddings

107

The 40 days memorial for Imam Hussein

107

The exiled convoy

108

The Baalbeck International Festival

112

Official Holidays

116

Dabkeh

116

Baalbeck Contents

102

What is Dabkeh

Baalbeck Contents

118
122

Nargileh

126

Baalbeck Tourism

128

Baalbeck Quality Label

130

Shopping in Baalbeck

132

Hotels and Accommodations in Baalbeck

136

Restaurants

140

Traditional sandwich

144

Snack

146

Pastry shops

150

Cafs

152

How Baalbeck (and Lebanon) works

156

Be nice with Baalbeck

160

In case of

168

Baalbeck Cookbook

170

Cookbook

170

Main ingredients in Lebanese and Baalbeck


dishes

176

Appetizers

177

Main Dishes

182

Desserts

190

Famous groups who perform dabkeh


in Baalbeck

Drinks

192

Culinary glossary

194

Credits

196

Notes

Baalbeck Contents

Baalbeck Contents

Baalbeck Contents

Baalbeck

Baalbeck

How to get to

Baalbeck
Visitors can easily reach Baalbeck from
Beirut through the President Emile
Lahouds Highway (otherwise known
as Damascus International Road ): from
Al Sayyad roundabout and Hazmieh
area you should go towards Jamhour
Kahale Aley Bhamdoun Sawfar
reaching Dahr El Beydar pass (1511 m
ASL) Chtaura Zahle Ablah Tlaya
- Douris. About 2 hours are needed to
cover the 86 km that separate Baalbeck
from Beirut.
If you are in Tripoli it is possible
to follow this itinerary: Tripoli
Mejdlaya Zgharta Ehden
Hadchit Becharre Al Arz Ainata
Zrazir Deir al Ahmar Baalbeck.
The distance between Tripoli and
Baalbeck is around 85 km: it will take
you nearly 2 hours to reach the city
from there. If you are on the northern
side of Mount Lebanon, you simply
have to take the Al Arz Road in the
district of Becharreh which leads you
to the Bekaa and Baalbeck in roughly
50 minutes (distance 55 km).

10

From the city of Kfardebian in Keserwan


you can reach Baalbeck through Oyoun
el Siman going to the other side of the
mountain towards Baalbeck crossing
Al Kouraymat Valley until you arrive
to destination.Distance: 75 km
Time: 1h20 min
You can reach Baalbeck from Zahle
through Ablah, Majdelyoun and Douris.
Distance: 35 km, Time: 1h
If you are coming from the western side
of the Bekaa, you can go to Chtaura
taking the main road to Baalbeck.
Distance: 67 km, Time: 45 min
Visitors coming from the Syrian capital
Damascus can reach Baalbeck through
Al Masnah crossing point, passing
then by Riyak and finally to Baalbeck.
Distance: 85 km, Time: 1h30
Travellers from Homs can get to
Baalbeck through Homs Shinshar
Qasyr in Syria, Al Qaa, and Laboue in
Lebanon. Distance: 105km, Time: 2h

Baalbeck

11

Baalbeck

Geography and Climate

Baalbeck

Overview of Baalbeck from Sheikh Abdallah Hill

Location

Climate

Baalbeck is situated in the Northern


Bekaa valley at 1150m ASL between
the mountain ranges of Lebanon and
Anti-Lebanon. It lies on the eastern
border of the plain close to the
watershed of the rivers Leontes (Nahr
Litani) and Orontes (Nahr el-Asi) as
well as in the vicinity of the springs
Ras al-Ayn and Ain Juj.

Baalbeck has a dry climate with an


average annual rain fall of about 410
mm. Rainy days are distributed as
follows: 10 days during the autumn
season, 30 days in the winter and 20 days
in the spring. The snow covers Baalbeck
10 days a year and is also accompanied
by ice over 20 to 50 days annually.
The lowest temperatures can go from
0 to -7 degrees; however the highest
temperatures vary between 30 to 35
degrees. What grabs the attention about
Baalbecks climate is the temperature
excursion between day and night, since,
especially during the month of August,
the difference is three times higher than
that of the Lebanese coastal cities.

The city spreads over an area of


50km. Although most of the city is
on flat level land, Baalbeck reaches
an altitude of 1200 meters at Sheikh
Abdallah Hill, which thus represents
its highest point.

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Topography
Baalbeck is enclosed between the Anti
Lebanon mountain range to the east,
the Mount Lebanon mountain range
to the west, Hermel to the north and
Zahle and Riyak to the south.
The district of Baalbeck covers over 14
km of the Bekaa valley. The population
is concentrated mainly in the northern
side, the north eastern and the
southern side.
Farming and agricultural activities are
among the main sources of income.
Farms are generally small (average
of 5 ha or 50 dunum) and only few
big farms (more than 10 ha, or 100
dunum) can be found

Baalbeck was known in the past for the


production of royal cherry: tradition
says that they used to be exported to
Cairo on the wings of pigeons as per
the request of the Sultans. As for the
apricot of Baalbeck, a popular song
describes it as follows: Baalbeck
apricot did not ripen.

Mount Snir (2800m) is the highest


point in the eastern mountain range of
Baalbeck. Baalbeck is also characterized
by abundant valleys which ensure
irrigation water to the city. Some valleys
extend over 20 km in length.
The abundance in springs makes
Baalbeck an important water source.
Al Lajouj, Dardarah and Ras al-Ayn
are the citys main springs. Wells
were drilled in the city following
the agricultural and population
expansions. Ras al-Ayn provides water
to the neighbouring houses and fields
whereas Al Lajouj, located close to
Nahle village, ensures the water supply
to the local houses since the Roman
era. Additional springs are situated in
the eastern mountains, such as Ain
al Jawza, Kawkab Ain El Delbe, and
provide water to some villages in the
southern part of Baalbeck. Other wells
were also drilled randomly affecting
the underground water.

Baalbeck

Main extensive crops are wheat, barley,


tobacco and potato. Some farmers
grow, on a much smaller scale fruit
trees such as apricot, apple, peach,
pear, olive. Finally there are also few
vineyards of different dimensions.

Moreover, livestock activities are


present (mainly goats and sheep).
Small bovine dairy farms can also be
found as well as egg-laying hen farms.
Seasonal agriculture plays a major role
in Baalbeck. Irrigation is provided
through channels coming from the Al
Lajouj and Ras al-Ayn sources.

13

Baalbeck History

Religious Sites

Baalbek

14

Baalbeck History

Baalbeck History

15

Baalbeck History

Baalbeck-Heliopolis
History of the city

Bacchus Temple - Detail of the sculpted architrave

Names of the City


The origin of the name Baalbeck
has been interpreted differently by
scholars: some say that it is related to
the god Baal, who was worshiped by
the local inhabitants and whose cult
was extended to Syria; Baalbeck, as
Baal backi, may also be considered as
Baal of the Bekaa or Weeping Baal,
again referring to the same deity and
to the abundance of water in the city.
Other scholars refer to Baalbeck as
Baal Nabak, a Semitic name meaning
the lord of the spring. In 323 B.C, the
city was identified by the Greeks as
Heliopolis, or city of the sun. The
Romans used the Greek name until the
Arab conquest in 635 A.D. It is possible

16

that the Semitic and Hellenized names


were used simultaneously after 411 A.D.

The Bronze and Iron Ages 3500-333 B.C.


Archaeologists, while excavating
within the great court of the Roman
sanctuary, revealed the remains of
a modest temple dating back to the
Bronze Age (3500-1200 B.C). Little
is known about the site during this
period. In the course of the Iron Age
(1200-333 B.C), an enclosed court was
built with an altar. Egyptian, Assyrian,
and Persian dominance succeeded
between 1200 and 333 B.C. The city
was a religious kingdom.

The Hellenistic period: 333-64 B.C.

They identified the god of Baalbeck


with the Greek god of the sun, Helios,
and the city was called Heliopolis
City of the Sun.
The ancient enclosed court was
enlarged. A podium was erected on
its western side to support a temple

with Hellenistic features. Heliopolis


prospered and became the major city
of the Bekaa plain. The Greeks gave it
the name Masyass. It was integrated
into the network of caravan trade
routes stretching all the way to India
through Mesopotamia and Persia.
By the first century B.C., Arabic tribes,
such as the Ituraeans, infiltrated the
weakened empire. They established
a principality in the Bekaa and were
famous for their raids of the coastal
cities. Coins from that era show
that the Ituraean princes acted as
supreme priests of the tribe and the
sanctuary of Heliopolis.

Baalbeck History

In 333 B.C, Alexander the Great


conquered the Bekaa. After his death
in 323 B.C, his empire was divided
between his generals. The Seleucids,
descendants of Seleucos, one of his
generals, established an Empire
that controlled much of the modern
Middle East.

17

Baalbeck History

The Roman era (64 B.C-333 A.D): the golden age of Heliopolis
In 64 B.C, the area was integrated
into the Roman Empire. In 36 B.C,
Heliopolis was involved in one of
historys major love stories: it was
offered as a gift to Queen Cleopatra
of Egypt by the Roman general MarcAnthony. In 30 B.C, Augustus defeated
the lovers and regained control over
the Bekaa.
The golden age of Baalbeck began
when Emperor Augustus established
a colony in 15 B.C for the veterans of
the Gallica III legion to control the
double trade route: one between
the Mediterranean coast and the

Syrian interior and the other between


northern Syria and northern Palestine.
It was named Colonia Iulia Augusta
Felix Heliopolitana, (the fortunate city
of the honourable Julia, Heliopolis) in
honour of Julia, his daughter.
Heliopolis controlled the Bekaa,
which was Romes bread-basket.
The grain was shipped to Rome
through Berytus (Roman name
for Beirut). Baalbeck was also
famous for its luxurious gardens
and streams. As for the Ituraeans,
they were pacified by drafting them
into the army.

The Byzantine era (330-636 A.D.): the death of a temple


In 333 A.D., Constantine, the first
Christian emperor ordered the
closing of the sanctuary and the
construction of a church in Heliopolis.
In 395, Emperor Theodosius the Great
declared Christianity the official
religion of the empire and ordered
the destruction of the sanctuary. He
dismantled the great altar in the big
court, building with its stones the
Christian basilica. He also converted

18

the hexagonal court into a Baptistery


and the Venus Temple into a chapel.
Between 610 and 622 A.D., the city
suffered from the ongoing war between
the Byzantines and the Persians. Its
wealth decreased as the caravan trade
routes linking it to Palmyra ceased to
be used. By 635, the city had lost its
position as a major religious centre and
shrank into a modest town.

The Islamic Arabic Conquest 635 A.D.


Abu Ubaydah bin Al-Jarrah, the chief
of the Arab troupes, was sent by
Muawiya to chase the Byzantine army
from the Bekaa. Many combatants
lost their life during the fightings and
eventually the city surrendered. Abu
Ubaydah, according to the Islamic
law, delivered a letter of protection
to the people of Baalbeck. This letter
provides information on the identity

and ethnic/confessional composition


of the people of Baalbeck: Rum (the
local Byzantine Christians), Arabs and
Persians, (who probably remained
after the Persian campaign in 610).
The letter also guarantees the herding
rights of the shepherds, a hint
shedding light on what might have
been an essential source of revenue
for the locals.

Wooden carving Umayyad Mosque

The Abbasids 750-972 A.D.

Muawiya, the first Umayyad caliph


set up a mint in Baalbeck. On coins
minted in Baalbeck, the Semitic
and Hellenized names feature side
by side.

Under the Abbasids, Baalbeck was part


of the complex trade web that covered
the Caliphate. The city became famous
for the high quality of its agricultural
products and the low market prices.
Baalbecks urban structure reflected
the typical Islamic city pattern: a
Medina, with a great Friday Mosque,
souks, caravanserais and hammams.

Baalbeck History

The Umayyads 635-750 A.D.

19

Baalbeck History

The Fatimids (972-1075 A.D.) and


the Seljuk Turks (1075-1139 A.D.)
Later on, the city was incorporated
into the Fatimid caliphate in 972 A.D.
until the Seljuk Turks conquered it in
1075. The Seljuks were warrior tribes
recruited to re-establish Abbasid
power. They used the city in their war
against the crusaders who occupied
the coastal towns and western
highlands of modern day Syria,
Lebanon and Palestine since 1099.

20

The Ayyubids 1139-1250 A.D.


In 1139, Najm al-Din Ayyub, a Kurdish
chief, was appointed governor of the
city by the Zengids. His mission was
to rebuild the defensive walls and
to defend the city and the Bekaa
from the incursion of the crusaders.
His son, the famous Salah al-Din,
spent his childhood in Baalbeck.
The Ayyubid princes would turn the
sanctuary into a fortress. In 1170,
the city was severely destroyed by a

Ayyubid Fortifications

Roman construction works. After his


assassination in 1230, the city entered
a phase of instability and was heavily
destroyed and sacked by the invading
Mongols in 1258.

Baalbeck History

heavy earthquake. In 1182-1230, Al


Malik al-Amjad Bahramshah, Saladins
grandnephew, became governor of the
city. He extended his authority over
the entire Bekaa and won decisive
battles against the crusaders. He
built a palace within the ruins of the
sanctuary and the shrine known as
Qubbat al Amjad on Sheikh Abdallahs
hill. He was also able to draw water to
the houses taking advantage of the

21

Baalbeck History

Baalbeck under the Mamluks: the second golden age (1260-1516 A.D.)
The Mamluks defeated the Mongols
in 1258. Baibars, the great Mamluk
Sultan, repaired the citadel of
Baalbeck and brought back the city
to its former glory.
Syria experienced tremendous
development under the Mamluks:
Damascus and Aleppo became central
industrial cities. As a consequence,
the road linking them to Baalbeck
turned into a vital access for traders
that brought benefit to the city.
Lebanon was at that time the main
supplier of sugar.
The produce was grown in the Bekaa
plain and Baalbeck was one of the
main processing centres. Baalbeck
distinguished itself as a fabric
manufacturing centre.
A special cloth made of wool and
cotton was named after the city
of Baalbeck. Furthermore, it is
reported that the use of Baalbecks
famous libass al ehram (the Mecca

22

ritual clothing) reached Morocco


and Spain. The city counted among
its prized products wooden utensils
and spoons with a quality that was
unmatched anywhere else. A kind
of grape molasses, hardened and
stuffed with almonds and other nuts,
contributed to the fame of the city as
a manufacturing centre.
Baalbeck managed also to develop its
role as an intellectual centre. The city
was surrounded by mosques, schools,
a hospital and dervish housings. AlNajmiyah school was in particular
devoted to Sufi studies. Nevertheless,
during the Mamluk rule, Baalbeck
unfortunately also experienced also
tremendous disasters: the city suffered
in fact from the plague during the 14th
and 15th century. Eventually, in 1517
A.D., the Mamluk sultanate came to
an end in Syria and Lebanon.

The Ottomans 1516-1918 A.D.


The Ottomans conquered the region
and established their rule which lasted
until the end of World War I in 1918.
Baalbeck was administered as a
nahiyeh, or district, of the central
sandjak (governorate) of Damascus.
The main centre of the Baalbeck
district was of course the city of
Baalbeck itself. It was connected to
the inland Syrian towns of Homs and
Hama by the Orontes River.

During the 16th and 17th period, the


Harfush emirs were appointed as
agents by the Ottoman state to tax
and police Baalbeck in 1555 A.D.
Starting from late 16th century, the
Ottomans began in fact to assign

During the Harfush period, which


lasted for two centuries, Baalbeck
suffered several vicissitudes. The city
was in fact impoverished and emptied
from its inhabitants, who had chosen
to flee to Zahle or Hermel.

Baalbeck History

Baalbeck was among the most fertile


and productive parts of Ottoman Syria.
Moreover, Baalbeck was a crossroads for
the caravans going from Damascus to the
coast, and from Northern Syria to Galilee
and Palestine. Hence its importance on
the economic and strategic level.

tax farming contracts to local tribal


leaders rather than attempting to
impose direct control over remote
and unruly hinterland areas. The
Harfush received the iltizam (farming
tax) for the Bekaa as well as a rank
in the provincial military hierarchy
in recognition of their long-standing
position of dominance within the local
Shiite society. It should be noted that
the Harfush were able at the prime
of their rule to extend their authority
beyond the boundaries of Baalbeck
and Bekaa regions. They were in fact
frequently appointed governors of
Homs and occasionally of Palmyra.

This era was nevertheless characterized


by the prosperity of agriculture in
Baalbeck: the cultivation of mulberry
was particularly diffused reaching the

23

Baalbeck History

number of six hundred thousand


trees. The peasants were also growing
wheat, maize, grapes, pomegranates
and cherries as Jean de la Roque had
the opportunity to note during his
visit in 1689.
The history of the city under
the Harfush is subject to many
controversies and is still under study
by historians.
In 1751, the population was estimated
at five thousand. Later on, in 1759 a
heavy earthquake hit Baalbeck and
this tragic event could have put an
end to the settlement inside the
citadel. In 1784, the French traveller
Volney mentioned in fact that the
population at that time counted only
around two thousand people.
The Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig
Burckhardt visited Baalbeck in 1810
and reported on his writings the life
of Baalbeck and its citizens under
the Harfush emirs. Their main source
of living originated from cattle, but

24

there were also handicraft activities


carried out by men. The women
are esteemed the handsomest of
the neighbouring country, and many
Damascenes marry Baalbeck girls.
The Harfush emirate ended in 1865
when the Ottoman government
ordered the last of the Harfush emirs
to be deported to Edirne.
Baalbeck was not affected by
the sectarian conflicts between
Christians and Muslims in Damascus,
the Bekaa, Mount Lebanon and
Beirut, particularly the incidents
of 1840 and 1860. The citys first
municipal council was established
in 1880. In 1887, a fee of a quarter
Riyal Majidi (Ottoman currency) was
imposed for the first time to visit the
temples. The tariff was collected by
the Municipality.
At that time, Baalbeck experienced
a period of wealth, especially in the
Christian quarters around Sheikh
Abdallah Hill.

Baalbeck History
River Mosque built by the Harfush

25

Baalbeck History

In that period, the region witnessed


the presence of many European
travellers: the visit of Emperor
William II to the Holy Land,
Damascus, Beirut and Baalbeck in
1898 can certainly be considered
one of the most illustrious remains.
Michel Alouf, first curator of the
Temples, received him and the
Emperor was so carried away by the
sight of the temples that he ordered
to organize an expedition to Baalbeck
to carry out the first scientific survey
of the ancient buildings. Within a
month, the German archaeological
team he dispatched was at work on
the site. They worked in Baalbeck
from 1900 to 1904 and produced
illustrated and meticulously detailed
volumes.
Records show that the population in
Baalbeck increased again to 5000 in
1904 and reached the number of 5200
inhabitants in 1913.
World War I broke out in 1914.
Baalbeck, like the rest of Lebanon, had

26

its share of sufferings. On August 21,


1915, at dawn, the Turkish authorities
executed thirteen Lebanese prominent
figures. One of the martyrs was Saleh
Haidar of Baalbeck. He had founded
the Literary Club association in
Istanbul in 1909. He aimed at settling
differences between the Arabs and
the Committee of Union and Progress
(the Young Turks). Jamal Pasha also
decided to expel some Lebanese after
receiving information about possible
collaboration between them and the
French. Among those was Nakhle
Mutran, member of a well-known
Baalbeck family and cousin of the
famous poet Khalil Mutran. He was
thus arrested and exiled, later he was
found dead on the way to Aleppo.
Meanwhile, Al Fatat (Arab Youth),
an anti-Ottoman society was founded.
One of its founding members was
Rustum Haidar of Baalbeck. Haidar
attended with Emir Faisal in 1918
the Peace Conference in Versailles.
He then left to Iraq, when Faisal was
proclaimed Emir.

Baalbeck History
Ottoman Architecture - detail of the door frieze

27

Baalbek History

Baalbeck

a city of contemporary Lebanon

World War I ended in 1918 and the


French mandate was proclaimed over
Lebanon in 1920. On September 1,
1920 Greater Lebanon was established
by General Henri Gouraud.
The Bekaa was officially annexed to
Mount Lebanon and thus Baalbeck
became part of the enlarged Lebanese
territory.
In 1943, the citizens of Baalbeck
participated along their fellow
compatriots in the struggle to end
the French mandate. Lebanon was
declared independent on November
22, 1943.

28

Baalbek History

General Henri Gouraud

29

Baalbeck Culture

30

Baalbeck Culture

Baalbeck Culture

31

Baalbeck Culture

Baalbeck

a UNESCO World Heritage site

Baalbeck became part of the World


Heritage List in 1984. This list includes
962 sites, forming part of the cultural
and natural heritage which UNESCO
considers as having outstanding
universal value. Lebanon has four other
archaeological and natural sites on the
list: Anjar (included in 1984), Byblos
(1984), Tyre (1984), Ouadi Qadisha and
the Cedars of God(1998). In Baalbeck
UNESCO took under its protection the
Temples of Jupiter, Bacchus, Venus
and Mercury, alongside the entire
town within the Arab walls, as well as
the south-western quarter between
Bustan al Khan, and the Mosque of Ras
al-Imam al-Hussein in Ras al-Ayn.
Baalbeck is one of the most celebrated
sanctuaries of the ancient world. Its
monumental ensemble is one of the
most impressive testimonies of the

32

power, wealth and magnificence of


the Roman empire. Dedicated to
the Heliopolitan triad (Jupiter, Juno
and Mercury), the Roman temples
of Baalbeck are amongst the largest
ever built (as witnessed by the scale
of Jupiter temple) and the best
preserved (Bacchus temple). As for the
round temple of Venus, its layout and
refinement are unique in the Roman
world. This gigantic religious complex
is a unique site that reflects the
achievements of Roman architecture
as well as its adaptation to local beliefs.
In spite of extensive restoration in the
1960s and the 1980s, and the impact
of armed conflict which brought
unplanned development, the overall
authenticity of the site has remained
intact thanks to the efforts of national
and international bodies.

World Heritage
Sites in Lebanon

Ouadi Qadisha and


the Cedars of God

Byblos

Baalbeck

Anjar
Baalbeck Culture

Tyre

33

Baalbeck Culture

Baalbeck

and the Cultural Heritage and Urban Development Project (CHUD)

The Lebanese Republic received a loan from the World Bank, the
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Italian Cooperation, the Agence
Franaise du Dveloppement (AFD) to cover the cost of the Cultural
Heritage and Urban Development Project (CHUD) in Baalbeck, Tyre,
Sidon, Tripoli and Byblos.
Work started in 2005. The project aims at increasing the social economy
of the historic cities. The World Bank grant specifically made available for
Baalbeck is 16 million US Dollars, whereas the Italian contribution directly
assigned for the city reaches around 5 million Euros. These funds are
mainly allocated for restoration and rehabilitation works in the inner city
of Baalbeck and for the conservation of the Roman temples
The World Bank component is working on repairing and restoring
sidewalks, streets and houses in a way that honours their historical
past. Also, it is developing easily accessible parking lots in the city and
next to the archaeological site. It is also aiming at recreating Baalbecks
old meat and vegetable market.
The Italian financing is mainly devoted to the restoration and valorisation
of the archaeological sites (namely to the conservation of Jupiter and
Bacchus Temples with relevant elaboration of suitable visiting paths) as
well as to the re-qualification of Baalbeck Serail.

34

Baalbeck Culture
Cella of the temple of Bacchus

35

Baalbeck Culture

Baalbeck-Heliopolis
The monuments

6
5

9
8
10

12
11

Plan of the Archaeological Complex: courtesy of the Ministry of Culture-Directorate General of Antiquities, Lebanon.

36

1- Semicircular stone benches

7- Temple of Jupiter

2- Propyleum

8- Temple of Bacchus

3- Hexagonal court

9- Ibrahim Mosque

4- Great court

10- Mamluk tower

5- Altars

11- Temple of Venus

6- Pools for ritual cleansing


and solitary columns

12- Temple of the Muses


T- Podium

Caesars and stones: the building of the sanctuary


Fifteen Roman emperors ruled and died between the beginning
of the construction of the temples complex and its completion.
In 15 B.C, Emperor Augustus (63 B.C.
- 14 A.D.) gave orders to construct
a temple dedicated to Jupiter
Heliopolitanus. Nero (54-68 A.D.) built
the tower-altar opposite the Temple
of Jupiter. In accordance with a Semitic
tradition adopted by the Romans, the
altar presumably allowed pilgrims to
stand at given times on the terrace to
admire the figure of the god at the
back of the temple.

The Temple of Bacchus, built by


Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.),
stands behind the great courtyard.
This marvel of architecture gives an
excellent idea of what the overall
religious site of Heliopolis looked
like, since it is the best preserved
monument of this great complex.

Once the temples construction was


completed, the Roman emperors turned
their energies to building courtyards
and the main entrance to the religious
complex. Caracalla (211-217 A.D.)
took charge of the latter and built the
Propylaeum (entrance way). It is said
that a legionary chief financed the
carving of two bronze capitals in honour
of the gods of Heliopolis and Caracalla.
Emperor Philip the Arab (244-249 A.D.)
was the last to add a monument - the
hexagonal forecourt - to the sanctuary.
Its layout is purely Semitic and might
have been linked to rituals honouring the
celestial powers of Jupiter Heliopolitanus.

Baalbeck Culture

Trajan (98-117 A.D.) built the main


courtyard leading to the Temple
of Jupiter. The columns of those
porticoes and faades came from the
red granite quarries of Aswan in Egypt.

The Temple of Venus, which stands a


bit apart from the Bacchus and Jupiter
Temples, was built by Septimius
Severus (193-211 A.D.). Under his
reign the colony received the jus
italicus, i.e. the Roman civic law, which
entitled the local inhabitants to be
recognized as Roman citizens.

37

Baalbeck Culture

The Triad of Heliopolis


The triad of Heliopolis, i.e. Jupiter, Juno and Mercury, was very
popular in the Roman Empire. The great god Jupiter was in fact
worshiped alongside his wife Juno and their son Mercury. The
cult flourished in the Empire particularly around Syrian garrisons
or where merchants of Beirut had set up commercial liaisons.

IOVI OPTIMO MAXIMO HELIOPOLITANO (I.O.M.H.)


The origin and identity of the great god
of Heliopolis is unknown. He is probably
Baal Hadad, the Semitic god of thunder,
winter and fertility who was later
assimilated with the Greek Zeus and the
Roman Jupiter. He represents the male
element in the triad and the generative
forces of nature. His Roman era statues
reveal his Semitic identity. He is depicted
as a hieratic figure standing between two
bulls, the ultimate symbol of virility in
the ancient world, clothed in a sheath
divided into compartments decorated
with flowers or heads of minor deities.
The Calathos, a basket-shaped headdress
filled with grains and fruits linked Jupiter
with agricultural abundance. His right
hand presents a whip, symbol of his
authority and ability to command. His left
shows a bunch of corn denoting his role
as master of the crops. Popular amidst
the legionaries, he was known as Iovi
Optimo Maximo Heliopolitano, Jupiter
the highest and greatest. His role as
protector of the Empire, Emperor and the

38

legionaries is visible on the different altars


dedicated to him and found all around the
Roman Empire. As for his idol, it is said to
be made out of wood and covered with
golden plates. During special occasions,
the idol was taken out of the Adyton, the
holiest space of an eastern temple, for a
procession in the great court.
The temple was famous for its oracles. One
of the epithets of Jupiter Heliopolitanus
was in fact Angelus or oracle god. Tradition
says that people used to gather and inquire
the deity about their future. They used to
write their questions on a piece of paper
and insert it in special holes carved at the
base of the gods many statues. Emperor
Trajan is known to have consulted the
oracle of Baalbeck, inquiring whether he
would return alive from his campaigns
against the Parthians. In reply, the god
provided him with a centurion wand cut
into pieces and set in a purple shroud.
Eventually, Trajan met his death in that war
and only his remains returned to Rome.

Baalbeck Culture
I.O.M.H. - Latin inscription within the archaeological site

39

Baalbeck Culture

Juno of Heliopolis

Mercury of Heliopolis

Little is known about the female goddess


of Heliopolis who was assimilated with
Juno, the wife of Jupiter under the
Romans. Juno probably took over the
significance and worship of the ancient
Semitic fertility goddess Atargatis,
whose cult might be linked with springs.
She was depicted veiled and seated on
a throne flanked by lions.

As it happened for Juno, one of the


autochthonous deities of Baalbeck,
whose name is unknown, was matched
with Mercury by Romans. He was the
protector of herds and shepherds.

The Archaeological Complex - Al Qalaa


The complex of Baalbeck temples,
also known as Al Qalaa or the Citadel,
mainly consists of the great remains of
the Jupiter Temple and Bacchus Temple.
Not far from them, outside the present
boundaries of the main archaeological
site, is the circular structure known as
the Temple of Venus. As for the Temple
dedicated to Mercury, which used to be
worshiped in the city as one of the deities
of the Heliopolis triad, the scale and the
greatness of the original architecture can
now be witnessed only by the remains
of the staircase on Sheikh Abdallah Hill.
The archaeological site is open daily from 8.30
to 16.00. The individual site entrance fee is L.L.
15,000 for foreigners, L.L. 10,000 for Lebanese
and Arab foreigners and L.L. 5,000 for students.
You can contact the sites personnel dialling
the following number: 08/370520.

40

Guides are available, upon request,


at the entrance of the site. They will
accompany visitors for around 1 hour.
Rates vary with the size of the groups.
The present rates are L.L. 30,000 for 1-6
people, L.L. 40,000 for 7-20 people, L.L.
45,000 for 20 persons and more. The
guides are fluent in both French and
English, alongside Arabic and expect
an additional tip at the end of the tour.
How to get there: The archaeological
complex or Al Qalaa is one of the main
tourist attractions of Baalbeck. Clear
directions may be found on the way.
A big parking lot is also available:
coming from Beirut, when you reach
the entrance of the city, close to the
Palmyra Hotel, turn left to enter the
parking lot and proceed walking to the
archaeological ruins.

Baalbeck Culture

41

Jupiter Temple

Baalbeck Culture

Podium
The overall complex stands on a 7.3
meters high podium built with massive
stones, some of the largest stone
blocks ever quarried. On the west
side of the podium is the Trilithon,
a celebrated group of three enormous
stones weighing about 800 tons each,
visible from the Jupiter Temple or
from the back side of the present
boundaries of the Archaeological
complex. These stones are 20 meters
long, 4.2 meters high and 3.6 meters
wide. (Refer to point T on the map)

Propylaeum (entrance way)


Built by Caracalla (211-217 A.D.)
and completed in the mid-third
century A.D., the Propylaeum (from
Greek Propylea) is approached by
a large semicircle of stone benches
and a partially restored stairway.
The entrance structure has towers
at either end and is fronted by 12
Aswan red granite columns brought
from Egypt. (N. 1 and N. 2 on the map)

42

Baalbeck Culture

Propylaeum

43

Baalbeck Culture

Hexagonal Forecourt
The structure of the hexagonal
forecourt is unique in the Roman
world. It is the last monument added
to the sanctuary in the first half of the
3rd century A.D by Emperor Philip
the Arab (244-249) and connects the
Propylaeum to the main courtyard.
The forecourt is decorated with
four exedras each preceded by four
columns and decorated inside with
two rows of niches. Three doors
lead from the Propylaeum to the
Hexagonal Forecourt, where 30
granite columns originally supported
the entablature. This six-sided form
was built between the Propylaeum
and the Great Court.
In 395 A.D., it was covered with
a dome and transformed into a
church by the Byzantine Emperor
Theodosius. Some sources state
that it was taken to Jerusalem by the
Umayyad in 689 A.D. and is now part
of the famous Dome of the Rock. (N.
3 on the map)

44

Baalbeck Culture
Hexagonal Forecourt

45

Baalbeck Culture

46

Great Court

Altar & the Tower

Structurally, the Great Court is a platform


built on the levelled-off top of the ancient
Tell1 by Emperor Trajan (98-117 A.D.).
The Tell was consolidated on the eastern,
northern and southern sides by vaulted
substructures and on the western side by
the temples podium. These substructures
supported the porticos and exedra around
the Court and were used for stables and
storage. The Great Court covered an area
of 134 x 112 meters and contained the
main installations of the cult. The entire
Court was enclosed on three sides by
a succession of twelve rectangular and
semi-circular exedras, each preceded
by a portico decorated by niches which
contained statues. Inscriptions on some
of the exedra explain how they were
used: confraternities and communities
took their sacred meals there, thus
communing with the officiating priests.
Surrounding the Court, in front of the
exedras, was a colonnade made of 84
columns of Egyptian granite. The remains
of medieval battlements, on the exterior
walls of the court, can still be seen. (N. 4
on the map)

The small restored sacrificial altar and


a tower measuring 7 meters high were
built by Emperor Nero (54-68 A.D.)
opposite the Temple of Jupiter. Only
the lower levels of the tower remains.
The massive altars are alien to Roman
religious architecture: they are the
trademark of the Semitic nature of
the cult. The tower was probably
built to allow the worshipers to view
the proceedings from the top. It was
also used by the priests to conduct
the holokaustos (from the Greek
hlos, whole and
kausts, burnt), or the total burning
of the sacrificial victim. The small altar
was for the manducation, namely the
partial burning of the sacrificial victim.
The rest of the sacrificial victims used
to be shared and eaten by the pilgrims
and the priests. (N. 5 on the map)

1- Tell is the Arabic name for a hill created by different

civilizations living and rebuilding in the same spot.


Over time, the level rises, forming a mound.

The Great Court

Baalbeck Culture

The Great Altar

47

Baalbeck Culture

Columns & the Ritual Pools


The Great Court was flanked by two
solitary columns of grey and red
granite. Two pools for ritual washing,
decorated with relief carvings, were
placed north and south of both the
altar and the Propylaeum tower.

These structures were destroyed


when a Christian basilica was built
on the site in 395 A.D. The columns
symbolize the celestial power of
the deity and sanctify the ground
of the great court. (N. 6 on the map)

Ritual Pool

48

Jupiter Temple

Temple of Jupiter Heliopolitanus


20 meters high and with a diameter of
2.25 meters; each column was formed
of five pieces. Most of these now lie
in fragments on the ground. The six
standing columns are joined by an
entablature decorated with a frieze
of bull and lion heads connected by
garlands. The six Corinthian columns
give an idea of the vast scale of the
original structure. The remains of the
temple of Jupiter are spectacular with
the 20 m high columns: make sure
to take a picture while standing up
next to the columns as it will remind
you of the difference in scale. (N. 7
on the map)

Baalbeck Culture

After passing through the forecourt


and the Propylaeum, the Hexagonal
Forecourt and Great Court, the
worshiper arrived at last at the
Temple of Jupiter. This approach
to the sanctuary through a series
of defined spaces was an apparent
oriental adaptation. The axial layout
emphasizes the idea of ascension
towards the god. The Temple
measures 88 x 48 meters and stands
on a podium 13 meters above the
surrounding terrain and 7 meters
above the courtyard. It is reached by
a monumental stairway. Originally
surrounded by 54 external columns,

49

Baalbeck Culture

Temple of Bacchus

50

The smaller temple next to the Jupiter


complex is a separate building known
as the Temple of Bacchus. Constructed
during the first half of the 2nd century
A.D., it is remarkably well preserved.

of prolific vines. On the lintel, an eagle


opens its wings between two genies
and holds a wand in its claws. The walls
are decorated with fluted columns and
niches with assorted designs.

While the Great Temple was dedicated


to the public cult of the Heliopolitan
Triad, the smaller temple was
apparently dedicated to a mysterious
cult centred on Bacchus, as suggested
by the decoration of its 13 meters high
doorway: grapes and poppies are
carved; Menades, Pans and Satyrs
can be seen frolicking around the
young Bacchus against a background

Thirty-three steps lead up to the


entrance and the whole structure sits
on a platform five meters high. The
entrance through the monumental
gate and the view of its ornate interior
constitute one of the loveliest sights of
Baalbeck. The stairs on either side of
the doorway, lead to the roof, which
may have had some ritual function.
(N. 8 on the map)

Baalbeck Culture

Bacchus Temple

51

Baalbeck Culture

Baalbecks Graffiti
19 th

In the late
century, Baalbeck
began to attract travellers from
Europe and around the region.
These earliest visitors left their
mark on the stone structures,
particularly the Temple of Bacchus,
by etching their name and date of
visit. Many French, English and
Arabic calligraphy, dating from
the 19 th century can thus be seen
on the upper levels of the walls
of the Bacchus temple. They bear
witness to the level of sand that
was within the temple before the
archaeologists started working on
the site in 1904.
Despite this testimony from the
past, scratching cultural relics
and monuments shall always be
considered as vandalism and
visitors should thus respectfully
avoid this kind of practice.

52

Baalbeck Museum
Baalbeck Museum is located in the
substructions of the Sanctuary of
Jupiter as well as in the south tower
of the fortress. It was inaugurated
in 1998 to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of Emperor William II
visit to Baalbeck. The museum
displays some 20 statues and objects,
information about the Bronze age,
the Hellenic and Roman era, as well
as an exhibition of old photographs
of the German ethnographer Herman
Burckhardt, who captured interesting
shots of the ruins and of the Turkmen
and Bedouin tribes who lived in the
area. The museums main value
lies in the maps and photographs
interpreting how and why the
temples were built.
The museum is open daily from
10.30 to 17.00. It is located within
the main Archaeological site. You
can contact the Museum personnel
dialling 08/370520.

Baalbeck Culture

Baalbeck Museum

53

Baalbeck Culture

Al Qalaa
From the end of the 11th century,
Baalbeck regained importance as a
strategic base in the Crusader conflict
and its earlier Arab fortification walls
were strengthened. The Roman
sanctuary was slowly transformed by
the Seljuks and the Ayyubids into a
citadel (Qalaa), giving the name Al
Qalaa to the area.
The complex, badly damaged by
earthquakes and partly destructed
during the Mongol invasion, was
rebuilt by the Mamluks at the end
of the 13th century. Modifications
and alteration in the architectural
structures were made: the stairs of
the propyleum were destroyed and
a walled up area was constructed
between the Bacchus temple and
the podium of the great court and
the Jupiter temple. Towers, a Mosque
and a water basin were also built. The

54

Mosque was named the Mosque of


Ibrahim, after the Prophet Ibrahim
al Khalil.
A patrol path was added on the top
of the sanctuary walls. An inscription,
found within the citadel, mentions
the construction of a wall in 1168
A.D. Extensive building activities
took place under the Ayyubids. Two
towers and a palace were added by
Al Amjad Bahramshah. The citadel
was damaged by the Mongols in
1258 A.D. Mamluk governors of the
city restored it and added a massive
tower to the south east in 1282. The
surrounding area could be viewed
from the top of this tower. The tower
houses constitute a small museum
displaying an interesting collection
of artefacts from Baalbeck and its
surroundings. (Refer to N. 9 and N.
10 on the map)

Baalbeck Culture

Al Qalaa

55

Baalbeck Culture

The following Temples and Monuments are located outside the


present boundaries of the Archaeological site locally known as Al
Qalaa and they can be admired from the main entrance of the site.

56

Beit Nassif and Bustan al Khan

Temple of Venus

This charming 19th century house,


currently under restoration, was
built over the southern Roman gate
of the city. Beit Nassif named after
a 19 th century wealthy Baalbaki
(person from Baalbeck) who owned
the house and the land all around, is
going to be a visitor centre and the
new entrance of the Archaeological
site. It is surrounded by the remains
of the Roman assembly hall and the
gigantic Roman baths, site known as
Bustan al Khan.

The Round Temple or the so-called


Temple of Venus, located southeast of
the Acropolis, was built by Septimius
Severus (193-211 A.D.). It was built
during the third century A.D. 150m east
of the Bacchus temple. Its design and
size, as well as its orientation towards
the Great Temple set it apart from the
other Baalbeck temples. These attributes
also help identify it as the temple of
the Fortune of Baalbeck, the protector
divinity of the City. It was not by accident
that the temple was converted into a
church during the Byzantine period. The
Church was dedicated to Saint Barbara,
who is the patron saint of Baalbeck to
this day. (N. 11 on the map)

Beit Nassif

Baalbeck Culture

Venus Temple - detail of the decoration

57

Baalbeck Culture

58

Temple of the Muses

Al Barbara Mosque

Near the Temple of Venus are the


remains of the Temple of the Muses
(the Greek goddesses who presides
over the arts and sciences) dating back
to the beginning of the 1st century
A.D. (N. 12 on the map)

Al Barbara Mosque is a small


mosque near the Temple of Venus
dedicated to the famous Saint
Barbara. The Mosque is also called
the Mosque of the goldsmiths
since it is located in the goldsmiths
street. The minaret was built during
the reign of King Al Saleh Ismail al
Ayyubi in 1240 A.D.

Baalbeck Culture

Temple of the Muses

59

Baalbeck Culture

Umayyad Mosque

The Umayyad Mosque or the great Friday Mosque


In front of the main archaeological
site entrance, not far from Venus
Temple, the Umayyad Mosque dates
from the 7th and 8th centuries of the
Umayyad period. Built on what was
the site of the Roman forum and later
a Byzantine Church dedicated to St.
John, the Mosque reuses granite
and limestone columns taken from
the Roman Sanctuary. The plan has
the basic features of the Umayyad
Mosque in Damascus. The monument
looks like a giant rectangle measuring

60

47x61 meters. There is a square


minaret in the north-west corner
of the courtyard. Three inscriptions
on its walls bear witness to works
conducted during the reign of the
Zengids and Ayyubids and of the
restoration works carried out during
the Mamluk period. The Mosque was
recently restored.
How to get there: follow the street
straight from the Temples exit to get
to the Umayyad Mosque main gate.

Baalbeck Culture
Umayyad Mosque interior

61

Baalbeck Culture

The River Mosque (Al Imam al


Mahdi Mosque)
The River Mosque was built in 1618
A.D. by the Harfush family who ruled
Baalbeck during the 17 th century
under the Ottomans. It is located in
the city centre and was restored in
1918. It is known as the River Mosque
because it is situated next to the citys
spring. It is known today as Al Imam
al Mahdi Mosque.
How to get there: walk south of the
Venus Temple following Ras al-Ayn
Blvd and youll find the Mosque on
your left.

Al Hanabila Mosque
Al Hanabila is located next to the city
market in Ghafara Street. Sultan Al
Mansur Qalawun restored it in 1283 A.D.

62

The Christian neighbourhood


Built during the second half of the 19th
century, the Christian neighbourhood
is characterized by traditional Lebanese
houses with red tiled roofs and threearched faades. The three historical
churches of the city can be visited in
this area. Saint Takla and Barbara
Church, built in 1897 with stones taken
from the nearby ruins of the temple of
Mercury, is a Melkite Church dedicated
to Barbara, the patron saint of Baalbeck.
The Orthodox Church of Saint Georges
was built in the 19th century and has
an interesting collection of old icons.
Saint Mary - Al Sayydeh Maronite
Church was also built in the 19th century
and has been recently restored.
How to get there: Go right after the
Temples exit then turn left walking
till Khalil Mutran Square, cross Hajjar
Street and you reach the Christian
Neighbourhood and the three churches.

Baalbeck Culture
Church of Saint Mary

63

Baalbeck Culture

Temple of Mercury

Qubbat al-Amjad

It is hard to imagine that a great


temple, as big as the temple of
Bacchus, stood on top of the Sheikh
Abdallah hill. Unfortunately, all that
remains of the temple of Mercury
are presently rock-cut steps eleven
meters in width and rising to the
height of 33 meters. The temple was
very famous in ancient times as it
appears on Roman coins, built on a
rocky elevation and surrounded by
a rectangular peribolus (wall). It was
dedicated to the tutelary god of the
city, assimilated with Mercury under
the Romans.

This monument is the oldest Islamic


Mausoleum of the city. It was built
in 1200 A.D. on the top of Sheikh
Abdallahs hill by Al Malik al-Amjad
Bahramshah. It is a square on top of
which rests a dome, thus the name
qubbat, dome. It rapidly became a
popular pilgrimage site due to its
proximity to Zawiyat al-Yunini, the
burial place of the famous Sheikh
Abdallah al-Yunini. The Qubbat alAmjad is part of the Lebanese army
barracks in Baalbeck and presently it
can be seen only from afar.

Mercury of Heliopolis is represented


flanked by rams; he was a pastoral god,
protector of cattle and sheep. Although
only the vestiges of the stairs remain,
the site is nevertheless worth a visit for
the beautiful views of Baalbeck city, the
nearby Zawiya-Mosque and the Tomb
of Sheikh Abdallah al-Younini deserve
to be seen.

64

Baalbeck Culture

Steps to the temple of Mercury

65

Baalbeck Culture

Sheikh Abdallah Hill and


Zawiyat al Yunini Mosque

Ras al-Imam
al-Hussein Mosque

Sheikh Abdallah Hill gives the visitor


the best panoramic view of the city of
Baalbeck alongside the fertile Bekaa
valley. The view is breathtaking and
the amazing landscape offers the
visitor the proof of the importance of
the city since ancient times. On Sheikh
Abdallah Hill are the remains of the
Zawiya-Mosque and Tomb of Sheikh
Abdallah al-Younini, built under the
reign of Al-Amjad. The tomb of Sheikh
Abdallah gives the name to the hill.

According to locals, Ras al-Imam alHussein Mosque was built to honour


the place where the head of Imam
Hussein, killed in Karbala in 680
A.D., was exposed. It is said that his
captured family and his head were
moved around the major cities of
Syria by the Umayyads to humiliate
them. The ruins of the building can be
dated back to 681 A.D. Some sources
state that the Mosque was built by the
Dawadar (secretary) Balaban al-Rumi.
Another source mentions restoration
works conducted in 1277 A.D. under
the Mamluk Sultan Baybars. The
Mosque is a popular pilgrimage site
for the Shiites.

How to get there: The access route


to Sheikh Abdallah Hill is close to the
Christian neighbourhood. Proceed to
the south and take the second street
on your left (before reaching Khalil
Mutran House), then turn right and
follow the pedestrian road climbing
up to the hill.

66

How to get there: follow Ras al-Ayn


Blvd and youll reach Ras al-Imam alHussein mosque.

Baalbeck Culture
Ras al-Imam al-Hussein Mosque

67

Baalbeck Culture

Ras al-Ayn spring


This ancient spring, now a part of
modern Baalbeck, has been a source of
water since antiquity. Here are traces
of a Roman canalization system and
a Nympheum (temple dedicated to
the nymphs, minor deities protecting
springs), as well as a Mamluk mosque.
The remains of these vestiges are still
visible today in Ras al-Ayn and the
ancient stones are scattered around
the spring.
Along the water canalization system are
long sided parks with beautiful trees
and green fields. Traditionally, Baalbeck
people come to this area to have some
rest, drink a cup of coffee or tea, have
lunch in the open air and enjoy smoking
a nargileh. Several hotels, restaurants
and coffee shops are built in this area
and cooperate to make your visit to
Baalbeck more pleasant.

68

Baalbeck Culture

Ras al-Ain Spring

69

Baalbeck Culture

Architectural evolutions in Baalbeck: constructions during the


Ottoman period and traditional architecture in Baalbeck
During the Ottoman period, the houses were similar to typical Arab
bourgeois households. The centre of the house consisted almost always
in a square courtyard with a bahra, a water fountain made of stone. Next
to the courtyard were the living rooms with benches, called mastaba in
Baalbeck, that were around 30-40 cm high and often built into the covered
iwan; after these came the proper domestic rooms. The entrance was
often on a corner to hide the womens area, the harem, which means in
fact forbidden, excluded; it led to the centre of the house, the courtyard.
The open uncovered courtyards presents most of the time limestone
pavements. The mastaba are framed with stones and covered with a clay
floor. Carpets and mats were placed upon these benches for relaxing. The
mastabas could be transformed into iwan by a simple covering with open
arcades or a clay roof on wooden columns. The front of the iwan is often
structured by three arcades. Iwans are absent in smaller houses, while
larger houses have a summer iwan on the northern side and a winter
iwan to the south. Many ovens, called tannour, were found in the ancient
settlements and are similar to those still in use in Baalbeck. As for the
building techniques, most walls are made of very primitive masonry. The
poorer houses are made of sun-dried earth or clay-mortar bricks whereas
wealthier houses displayed lime mortar and finished stones.
Until the middle of the 19th century the building style was rural, characterized
by isolated one-storied houses. The houses in the Bekaa widely attested
the type of the closed rectangular house. They were built mainly of rubble
stones, plastered with clay, and the walls were partly whitewashed. The flat
clay roofs were made with beams of local wood.
The wood of nut trees and especially of juniper was used as construction
material. All houses had a central courtyard that enabled the access to

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Baalbeck Culture
Interior of an Ottoman house

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Baalbeck Culture

those rooms that were not interconnected. However, these houses had the
same furnishing as traditional Arab houses with the lowered entrance area
behind the doors, atabe and arches niches for the storage of beddings or
other household effects, named youk. Even the traditional bahra, the stone
basin of the fountain in the courtyard, is part of the inventory.
The first changes in the buildings surrounding the Sheikh Abdallah Hill
can be dated around 1880, which marks the beginning of the flourishing
of the Christian quarter and the building activities around the turn of the
century. First iwan houses with a standardized ground plan appeared at the
foot of the remains of the monumental stairways of the ancient Temple of
Mercury. The houses in this area are set parallel to the hills slope and have
three rooms, the central iwan flanked by two lateral rooms and sometimes
a third room to the back. The houses are built of rubble stone with flat clay
roofs, but in contrast to the earlier houses, almost all of them have doors
and windows spanned by segmented arches to the front, which are built of
worked blocks. This type of houses appeared in Baalbeck only in the second
half of the 19th century.
During the late 1800s, a new wave of construction emerged in Baalbeck
and new building techniques were introduced. The buildings are now
communicating with the surrounding landscape, with open faades, balconies
and terraces. The typical niches disappear, showing a change in the taste for
furniture and lifestyle. Instead of sleeping mattresses spread on the floor
at night, special bedrooms with beds were introduced. Similar villas can be
found in the direction of Ras al-Ayn. The presence of this type of building
in this area denotes certain continuity in the attractiveness of specific living
areas in Baalbeck, which was in fact the same area where the wealthy villae
suburbanae were located in the Roman period.

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Baalbeck Culture
Detail of the faade of Khalil Mutran house

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Baalbeck Culture

The transformation of Baalbeck following western models is also visible in


the abandonment of the old souk and in the newly built shopping streets
with modern multi-storied buildings from the French mandate period.
Nevertheless, Baalbeck keeps traces of the different traditions and cultures
which influenced the city.
A much more traditional picture of an Arab quarter can in fact still be found
in Hayy al-Solh quarter, in the northeast area of the city, where the Ain Juj
aqueduct enters the city. The Al-Solh is one of the largest Sunni families in
Lebanon and the architecture in their neighbourhood is characterized by
agglomerating types of courtyard houses, which apparently grew rampant
until they formed a densely built area. The houses are simple, built of
stone rubble, plastered with clay and with flat clay roofs. Groups of houses
were added one to the other, resulting in an intricately woven settlement
pattern. Some of the buildings located in this area may truly be considered
as the traditional Museums of Baalbeck city: their architectural style as
well as the internal furnishing showcase traditional clothes and garments,
furniture, tools and many objects related to the intangible cultural heritage
of Baalbeck. Among all, the House of Assaad Haidar, close to Baalbeck
Serail, the House of Abdel Ghani Al Rifai, close to Nasser Square, the
House of Nakhle Moutran, which is now the Husseiniye, i.e. a Shiite social
and religious centre, and the House of the former Deputy Ibrahim Haidar
certainly deem to be mentioned.
How to get there: Walk up the Hajjar Street straight to the Serail Square,
then go up to Hay-Solh.

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Baalbeck Culture
House from Hayy al-Solh quarter

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Baalbeck Culture

Qubbat Al-Saidayn
Not far from the City Gate, Qubbat AlSaidayn (or cupola of the two blessed
men) is a two-room mausoleum built
in 1409 A.D. by Mamluk Sultan Malik
al-Muayyad Sheikh. It was conceived
to commemorate two of his officers
killed in a battle near Baalbeck. Its
main entrance has traditional Mamluk
decoration patterns.

Roman and Ayyubid walls


As any other Roman city, Baalbeck was
surrounded by defensive walls. Their
remains are still visible along the city
gates. The Ayyubids used them when
they rebuilt the city walls during the
medieval period.
Qubbat Al-Saidayn

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Gouraud Barracks
Built partly on the Roman defence
walls to house the French soldiers
stationed in Baalbeck during the
French mandate, the Gouraud
Barracks were named after General
Henri Gouraud, the first French High
Commissioner in Syria and Lebanon
(1920-23).

How to get there: Walk out of the


temples, turn left then go straight all
over the way to get to the Gouraud
Barracks, Roman and Ayyubid walls
and Qubbat al-Saidayn.

Baalbeck Culture

Gouraud Barracks

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Baalbeck Culture

Al Sayyida Khawla Shrine

Al Sayyida Khawla Shrine


After the Battle of Karbala in 680
A.D., the women and descendants
of al-Imam Hussein were taken to
Damascus as prisoners of war; the
convoy passed by Baalbeck. Khawla,
the daughter of al-Imam Hussein
(grand-daughter of the Prophet)
was only three years old and did
not survive the journey. She died in
Baalbeck and was buried in the Shrine
that stands now at the entrance of
the city.
The Tomb is visited by pilgrims
coming from all over the world. The

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date of its building is unknown. The


tree that was used to shade the tomb
is preserved inside the shrine that
was recently restored and the old
small vaulted room of the building
was covered by a gilded dome, in
addition to two minarets.
It is a pilgrimage site for people from
different Lebanese regions and visitors
from Arab and Islamic countries.
How to get there: Coming from Beirut,
it is located on your left at the southern
entrance of Baalbeck.

Baalbeck Culture
Interior of Al Sayyida Khawla Shrine

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Baalbeck Culture

Roman quarries

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The proximity of the two quarries, one


to the south the other to the north of
the city, provided the stones for the
construction of the Roman Temples.
Only the southern quarry is open to
the public and can be visited.

The quarried stone was pulled away to


the construction site on round wooden
beans by shear man power. One of the
largest stones ever quarried, known as
the pregnant woman stone, can be
seen in the southern quarry.

In the past, workers would dig out


trenches around the limestone blocks
big enough to allow men to work. The
blocks were detached by inserting
wooden beans between the block and
the bed rock. The wood was regularly
watered; while gaining in volume they
would push the block away.

It measures 21.5 meters in length,


4 meters in height and 5 meters in
depth. It forms a cleanly cut block of
some 433 cubic meters and weighs
not less than 1000 tons. It would take
more than 40.000 men to move it!

Baalbeck Culture
The Pregnant Woman Stone

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Baalbeck Culture

Shrine of Saint Elias

Shrine of Saint Elias

Qubbat Douris

The shrine of Saint Elias is located in


the southwest of the city, between the
Christian cemeteries. Christians and
Muslims visit and worship it. It seems
that also non-Christians were buried in
the Tomb in the middle of the shrine.

At the southern entrance of the town


is the site of an octagonal structure
composed of eight Roman granite
columns. Built during the 13th century, it
was originally covered with a cupola and
held an Ayyubid tomb. An inscription,
dating back to 1243 A.D., refers to it as
a blessed space near a cemetery.

How to get there: turn right at the


southern entrance of Baalbeck, not far
from Al Sayyida Khawla Shrine. You
will see the Roman Quarry and the
pregnant woman stone when looking
straight ahead. The Shrine of Saint
Elias is close by.

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How to get there: Qubbat Douris is


located on your left on the main road
from Beirut: while reaching the southern
entrance of the city you will see Qubbat
Douris on your left.

Baalbeck Culture

Qubbat Douris

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Baalbeck Culture

Old Railroad Station


In the late 19th century, the Ottoman
Empire witnessed a period of
modernization. Railways were built
to connect the cities of the Empire.
The railway station in Baalbeck was on
the trail connecting Damascus, Homs
and Palmyra. The station, not in use
anymore, is a nostalgic 19th century
picture of the Orient, and indicates

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the strategic and historical importance


of Baalbeck as a crossroads between
Lebanon and Syria.
How to get there: Coming from Beirut,
the old railroad station is located on
your left. Turn left near the gas station
and follow the road leading to the
railway station.

Baalbeck Culture
Old Railroad Station

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Baalbeck Culture

Famous people from

Baalbeck

Baalbeck gave birth to many important religious and literary figures. Many
of them played major roles in their specific fields. They are presented with
a biographical note and a brief description of their activities in this section.

Imam Al Awzai, Abu Amr Abd al Rahman bin Amr | Religious dignitary
His name is derived from al-Awzai, a
suburb of Damascus. Imam Al Awzai
was born in Baalbeck in 707 A.D. and
was famous for his tolerance and for
taking the defence of the peasants
of Mount Lebanon, severely crushed
after their uprising against the Abbasid
Caliph. Imam Al Awzai was also a
famous reformist but his disciples never

collected his teachings in a published


book. He established an independent
doctrine that was adopted for a short
period by the jurists of the Levant and
Andalusia. The faculty of Imam al Awzai
for Islamic Studies was founded in Beirut
to commemorate him. The faculty
grants bachelors, masters and doctoral
degrees. He died in Beirut in 774 A.D.

Kusta bin Luka al-Baalbaki | Physician, astronomer and translator


Born in Baalbeck in 820 A.D., Kusta bin
Luka, a Christian Greek Orthodox, was
fluent in Greek, Syrian and Arabic. He
spent the last part of his life in Armenia
where he died in 912 A.D. He visited
many cities of the Byzantine Empire
and returned with Hellenic texts which
he translated into Arabic. Known to
be skilled in medicine, philosophy,
geometry, arithmetic, astronomy and
music, his works include several treaties

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on philosophy and logic; astronomy, the


celestial sphere, algebra. He translated
the works of Euclid, Diaphantos
(the so-called father of algebra),
Theodosios, Autolykos (astronomer
and mathematician), Aristarchos and
Hero. The Difference between the
Spirit and the Soul, translated to Latin
by Joannes Hispalensis under the title
De Differentia Spiritus et Animae, was
one of his writings.

Baalbeck Culture

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Baalbeck Culture

Adib, Musafir al-Hakkari, Sheikh 'Adi | A Sufi leader


Born in Baalbeck in 1075 A.D, Sheikh
Adi travelled extensively and reached
Bosra, settling finally in Lalesh, near
Mosul, where he died in 1162 A.D.
Lalesh became the most important
and holy centre of the Yazidis, a

Kurdish ethno-religious group and


Sheikh Adis main followers.
The Yazidis set their spiritual council in
Lalesh and visit the city at least once in
their lifetime on a 6 days pilgrimage,
hajj, to Sheikh Adis tomb.

Al Maqrizi | Religious figure


Taqi al-Din Ahmad bin Ali bin Abd
al-Qadir bin Muhammad, was born
in Baalbeck between 1364 and 1367
A.D. and was known as Al Maqrizi
after a suburb in Baalbeck called Al
Maqariza. He spent most of his life
in Egypt working in the government
and becoming inspector of markets
for Cairo and Northern Egypt in 1399
A.D. Most of his activity as a writer
was dedicated to the Mamluk period.
His works were also translated into
European languages: the French
Etienne Marc Quatremre, translated
part of the most important of his
books, Al suluk li marifat duwal almuluk, making the history of Mamluk
period in Egypt available also to non
Arabic readers. E. Blochet proceeded
with this work and published a book
titled Histoire dgypte de Makrizi.
Al suluk li marifat duwal al-muluk

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was considered as the first reference


book for the history of that period.
Among his writings are Akd jawahir
al-asfat men akhbar madinat al-fastat
(regarding the history of Egypt), Ettiaz
al-hanfa bi akhbar al-khalfa, which
treats the history of Egypt under the
Fatimid, and Ighathat al-Umma bi
kashf al-ghamma, narrating the history
of famine in Egypt and its causes2. His
work Al-Mawaiz wa alitibar bi dhikr
al-khitat wa al-athar in two volumes,
was translated to French by Urbain
Bouriant as Description topographique
et historique de lgypte. An extract of
Al Maqrizis History of the Fatimids was
also included and published by J.G.L.
Kosegarten in his work Chrestomathia.
For the listed writings there is no official
translation available: it was decided to keep
the original title in order to avoid inaccurate
interpretations
2-

Sheikh Habib al Ibrahim al Muhajer | Fakih (Islamic jurist)


Born in Jabal Amel in 1304 A.D, Sheikh
Habib al Ibrahim al Muhajer was a
Fakih and a reformist whose efforts
concentrated on reviving Baalbeck and
its region. He established several schools
and founded the magazine Al Hoda.

Author of The Memory of Hussein


(4 voll.), The Facts in the Similarities
and the Differences, Islam in the
Knowledge and Arts, he died in
Baalbeck in 1384 A.D.

Sheikh Al Bahai Al Amili | Religious figure


Asrar al-balagha (i.e. The secret of
rhetoric), Al- tahzib fi al-nahou (i.e.
Grammar correction), Tahzib albayan (i.e. Correction of the style)
are some of the titles of his books on
literature and linguistics. His writings
concern mathematics (Bahr al-hissab
and Khulassat al-hissab), astronomy
(Tashrih al-aflak fi al-haya and Risala
fi hall eshkalayt otared wal- kamar)
and topography (Risala fi tadaris alard). Sheikh Al Bahai Al Amili died in
Isfahan in 1625 A.D. He was buried next
to Imam Ali Ridas Tomb. While visiting
the mausoleum of Imam Rida, pilgrims
pray at his tomb reading al fatiha, the
opening sura of the Holy Quran.3

Baalbek Culture

Sheikh Muhammad bin al Sheikh


Hussein bin Abdel Samad, known as
Sheikh Al BahaI was born in Baalbeck
in 1546 A.D. He received his primary
religious studies in Lebanon but
left afterward to Isfahan, where he
deepened his knowledge. He obtained
an honoured place at the court of Shah
Abbas Al Safawi, who appointed him
Sheikh al-Islam of the Safavid Empire.
He travelled for around 30 years visiting
Holy places and pursuing religious
studies. He wrote extensively about
religion, literature and linguistics as
well as about scientific topics. Among
his religious books, the most relevant
are Al-zubda fi al-ussul (related to the
essence of religious rules), Sharh alarbain hadithan (Explanation of the
40 hadith) and Hadaya al-Umma ila
ahkam al-aimma (Guide the nation
towards the imams preachings).

3- For some of the mentioned writings and books

there is no official translation available: it was


decided to keep the original title in order to avoid
inaccurate interpretations. In some cases, the
general topic treated is provided to give an insight
on the extensive knowledge of Sheikh Al Bahai.

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Baalbeck Culture

Khalil Mutran

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Khalil Mutran | Poet and journalist


Born in 1872 A.D. in Baalbeck, Khalil
Mutran received his education at
the Patriarchal College of Beirut. His
mentors in Arabic language were
Ibrahim and Khalil al-Yazigi, from whom
he gained his mastery of the language
and his concern for perfection.

Mutran was known as one of the


pioneers of Harakat al-tajdid or the
renewal movement, and a precursor
in the writing of poetry and prose.
Mutran did not only renovate modern
Arabic poetry, he also modernized
prose writing. He influenced many

He published his poems under the


title Diwan Khalil, a work of four
volumes and translated, among
others, many of the works of Victor
Hugo and Shakespeare.
His poems include: The evening, A dear
death, The weeping lion, Loyalty, The
fetal martyr, Suicidal, The visible baby,
Nero, The girl of the black mountain,
The sheikh of Athens, Between the
heart and tears, Lily and many other
famous poems.

Baalbeck Culture

He transferred to Paris where he


discovered French Romanticism and was
deeply influenced by the works of Victor
Hugo and other European writers. He then
left to Egypt in 1892 where he worked
as editor of the newspaper Al Ahram. In
1900 he founded Al-Majalla al-Misriyya
(The Egyptian Review) and in 1903 he
launched the newspaper Al Jawaib alMisriyya, which lasted for 4 years.

poets of his generation such as Ibrahim


Naji, Abu Shadi and other Lebanese
diaspora poets. He was known as Shair
al-Kutrayn or the poet of two countries,
Egypt and Lebanon. After the death of
Ibrahim Hafez and Ahmad Shawki, he
inherited the role of Shair al-aktar alarabiya or the Poet of Arab Countries.

Disabled by attacks of arthritis, Khalil


Mutran succumbed to the disease and
died in 1949.

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Baalbeck Culture

Michel Alouf

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Michel Alouf | The first Lebanese guide to the Temples


He bought Hotel Palmyra, probably
the oldest hotel in Lebanon, from
Perikli Mimikaki. He received major
figures during their visit to the ruins of
Baalbeck. Among them were Charles
de Gaulle, Frederick Charles of Prussia,
Louis Napoleon, the Archduke Franz
Ferdinand of Austria, Philip Duke of
Orleans, His Majesty King Milan of
Serbia and many others. He wrote in
1890 History of Baalbeck, probably one
of the earliest guidebooks to the site.
He died in 1946.
In 1988, due to financial difficulties
occurred after the Lebanese civil war,
Michel Aloufs son sold Hotel Palmyra
to the Husseini family.

Baalbeck Culture

Michel Alouf is a native of Baalbeck.


He became the custodian of the
Baalbeck temples and served as
guide to the Imperial couple during
the visit of the German Emperor
William II to the city. He seems to
have greatly impressed his guests
and as a result, the active German
co n s u l G en e ra l , D r. S c h r d er,
informed him in 1905 that his
Imperial Majesty had bestowed
on him the Order of the Prussian
Eagle, 4th class. Remarkably, in 1934,
Michel Alouf received from the then
exiled Emperor a photograph of
himself, expressing his gratitude for
the faithful devotion of the keeper
of the Baalbeck temples.

Abdel Halim Caracalla | Choreographer and founder of Caracalla Dance Theatre


Considering his activities in
promoting dance, dabkeh and
dancing performance, more details

on Abdel Halim Caracalla from


Baalbeck can be found in the Dabkeh
session of this Guidebook.

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Baalbeck Culture

Mystics and saints from

Baalbeck

Baalbeck gave birth also to some important religious figures,


who belong to the citys different confessions. We mention the
most important.

Saint Barbara
Barbara was the daughter of Dioscorus,
a wealthy trader and a distinguished city
council member. She was born under
the reign of Emperor Maximianus (285305 A.D). She converted to Christianity
under the influence of her slaves. Her
father discovered her secret conversion
and ordered to imprison her in a tower
with two windows. She is said to have
carved out a third one, as a symbol of
the Christian Holy Trinity. Seeing that,
the father decided to burn her alive in
the tower, but her friends managed to
free Barbara dressing her in peasant
clothes. So dressed, she was hiding in
the Bekaa when a farmer recognized
her from her smooth hands and her

94

golden bracelets and caught her. He


delivered her to her father who publicly
had her executed.
Saint Barbara is the Patron Saint of
Baalbeck and her cult and festival,
celebrated each year on the night of
the 4th of December, are very popular
in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. It is an
occasion for children to take the streets,
wear masks and go trick or treating
while singing traditional rhymes. Saint
Barbaras martyrdom commemoration
has also its special food: Katayef bel
ashta or special dough stuffed with
cream and walnuts and boiled wheat
served with sugar and nuts.

Sheikh Abdallah al-Yunini


was a Muslim, the Virgin replied :
True, he is a Muslim but he has a
Christian heart. She stayed in his
service for eight months. When she
fell ill, she asked to die a Christian.
The sheikh wanted her last wishes to
be respected and asked for a priest
to be sent to her so that she had a
proper Christian funeral.

Local stories relate how a Christian


woman from Jubbet el-Mnaytra came
to him with all of her possessions
after having seen the Virgin Mary
in a dream. She was told that she
should enter his service until her
death, when she exclaimed that he

Sheikh Abdallah died in 1220 A.D.: his


humble mausoleum is still a popular
pilgrimage site. To honour his memory,
the people of Baalbeck named the
hill where he was buried the Sheikh
Abdallah Hill.

Baalbeck Culture

Born around 1140 in Yunin, a village


Northeast of Baalbeck, Sheikh Abdallah
was a renowned ascetic. He is said
to have frequently avoided people,
spending a good deal of his time in
the mountains of Lebanon and the
Damascus Ghouta in seclusion. He built
a small oratory at Ras al-Ayn where
people used to gather to see him.

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Baalbeck Culture

Famous people in

Baalbeck

Baalbeck was also visited by great leaders, scholars and writers.


Some of them visited the city during their tour of the region;
others came and stayed for a considerable period. We are listing
the most notable names. Some of the following names (listed
in chronological order) may be found in the visitors book of
Palmyra Hotel, which gives evidence to the remarkable number
of famous guests who visited Baalbeck from 1892 onwards,
pictures autographs, as well as letters and drawings from Jean
Cocteau are displayed at the hotel and are definitely worth to
be seen.

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Baalbeck Culture
Letter from Jean Cocteau

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Baalbeck Culture

Philip II, Duke of Orleans (1674


1723): Member of the Royal Family
of France, he served as Regent of the
Kingdom from 1715 to 1723.

Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (1808


1873): The President of the French
Second Republic and as Napoleon III,
the ruler of the Second French Empire.

Robert Wood (1717 1771): British


traveller, antique scholar and
politician, he travelled in the Levant
region and, in 1757 , he produced
drawings of the site of Baalbeck in
his The Ruins of Baalbeck.

Frederick Charles of Prussia (1828


1885): Prussian officer, known for
his skills in combat. He was surnamed
The Red Prince.

Constantin- Franois Chasseboeuf,


comte de Volney (1757 1820):
a French philosopher, historian,
orientalist and politician. He wrote
an account for his travels entitled
Voyages en Syrie.

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King Milan I of Serbia (1854 1901):


Serbian monarch, he reigned as Prince
Milan IV of Serbia from 1868 to 1882 and
King Milan I of Serbia from 1882 to 1889.

Lady Hester Stanhope (1776 1839):


She is remembered by history as a
British intrepid traveller in an age
when women were discouraged from
being adventurous.

George Bernard Shaw (1856 1950):


Famous Irish playwrighter and co-founder
of the London School of Economics, he
is the only person who was awarded
both a Nobel Prize for Literature for his
contributions to literature (1925) and
an Oscar (1938), for his work on the film
Pygmalion (adaptation of his play with
the same name).

Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de


Lamartine (1790 1869) : French
writer, poet and politician who was
instrumental to the foundation of the
French Second Republic.

Emperor William II (1859 1941):


The last German Emperor (Kaiser) and
King of Prussia, he ruled the German
Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia
from 1888 to 1918.

Baalbeck Culture
Emperor William II

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Baalbeck Culture

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1863


1914): Archduke of the AustroHungarian Empire and, from 1889
until his death, heir presumptive to
the Austro-Hungarian throne. His
assassination with his spouse on 28
June 1914 in Sarajevo triggered off
World War I.

He founded and directed the Academy


of the Arabic language in Damascus
from 1919 until his death.

Maxime Weygand (1867 1965):


French military commander in World
War I and World War II, he served as
Frances High Commissioner during
the French Mandate over Lebanon.

King Faisal I of Iraq (1885 1933):


Member of the Hashemite dynasty,
he was king of the Arab kingdom of
Syria in 1920 and King of the kingdom
of Iraq from 1921 to 1933.

Gertrude Bell (1868 1926): English


writer, traveller, political officer,
administrator, and archaeologist who
explored, mapped, and became highly
influential to British imperial policymaking due to her extensive travels
in Greater Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia
Minor, and Arabia.

Jean Cocteau (1889-1963): Jean


Cocteau was a French poet, novelist,
dramatist, designer, playwright, artist
and filmmaker.

Muhammad Kurd Ali (1876 1953):


Notable Syrian scholar, historian and
literary critic in the Arabic language.

100

Mustafa Kemal Atatrk (1881


1938): Ottoman army officer, he is
the founder and first President of the
Republic of Turkey.

Charles de Gaulle (1890 1970): The


French general and statesman who
led the Free French Forces during
World War II. He later founded the
French Fifth Republic in 1958 and
served as its first President from 1959
to 1969.

Baalbeck Culture

101

Baalbeck Traditions

102

Baalbeck Traditions

Baalbeck Traditions

103

Baalbeck Traditions

Festivals

and special events

Baalbeck Tourism and Shopping Festival


Baalbeck tourism and shopping
Festival is organized yearly for
fifteen days between June and July
in Baalbeck by the Syndicate of
the Bekaa shop owners. It aims at
developing tourism and trade in the
city and the region.
The Festival consists of an exposition
held in a 6000 m2 space at Ras al-Ayn
and comprises more than 200 wings.
Sales, gifts and tombola games are
part of the festival. Major trade and
agricultural companies, alongside
local and international organizations,

104

sports clubs and boy scouts, take part


in the festival. The program includes
ecological, cultural, and artistic and
sports activities as well as expositions,
like the Resistance exposition and the
hand crafts art exposition.
The Lebanese agricultural exposition
is also held within the fifteen days
of the festival. Foreign Embassies
and local companies participate in
this event. It aims at introducing
the farmer to all new technologies
available and to connect them to the
major agronomic companies.

Baalbeck Tourism and Shopping Festival

Furthermore, a mass wedding


worth to be seen is celebrated at

the conclusion of the Festival. The


Syndicate of Bekaa Shop Owners
organizes the Baalbeck mass wedding
every year, taking care of every
detail: the location, the hotels, and
the food. Thousands take part in this
event under the patronage of the
local authorities. The mass wedding
starts with a photo session within the
Roman Temples. Then the couples
head to Ras al-Ayn Park where folk
songs and dances await them. Every
couple receives a monetary gift by
the Syndicate which also takes the
financial charge of the event.

Baalbeck Traditions

The Sport festival is one of the


major aspects of the festival: it
consists mainly of an international
marathon and other activities
such as athletics, ping pong, and
badminton. The main event of the
sport festival is the international
racing. Three races are programmed:
the 12 km race for professional
athletes, 5 km for the beginners and
1.5 km for children. The festival is
held in Ras al-Ayn Park.

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Baalbeck Traditions

Mass Wedding

The Solh family weddings

106

The weddings celebrated in the Solh


neighbourhood in Baalbeck have
preserved their traditional aspect
throughout centuries. These weddings last
for three days and are organized as follows:

During the second day the groom,


his family and friends tour the city
on horses. This is an ancient tradition
that aims to show the grooms talent
in horse riding and his bravery.

The first day consists in two separate


celebrations: one for the groom and
the other for the bride. The groom
visits the brides house, gives her the
henna and she does the same. Then
they proceed separately each one in
his/her house to celebrate dancing and
eating food prepared by the women of
the family while drinking bitter coffee
till the following morning. The day ends
when the groom is kidnapped by his
friends or siblings. He is taken to his
house where he is given the traditional
wedding bath. He is dressed in his
wedding suit, ready for the next day.

The third day, the last day, the groom


takes his bride on his horse before
sunset and they head together to
the place where the wedding will be
celebrated. They enter the house on
the rhythms of traditional wedding
songs and dances and namely with
the Zaffeh, the traditional group
dance. They are surrounded by circles
of relatives and friends dancing the
Baalbaki Dabkeh. The couple leaves
the crowd at eleven and the invitees
are left to enjoy the feast till morning.

The 40 days memorial for Imam Hussein


40 days after remembering the
martyrdom of Imam Hussein in
Ashura, tens of thousands of
pilgrims take part in a march to
Ras al-Imam al-Hussein Mosque
in Ras al-Ayn. The day starts with a

gathering for prayer in the Shrine of


Sayyida Khawla. The crowd, named
the procession of grief, goes to
Ras al-Imam al-Hussein Mosque to
pray and to listen to the reading of
the biography of Imam Hussein.

Also known as the Procession


of grief, the exiled convoy is a
special memorial service within the
40 days of commemoration for the
assassination of Imam Hussein. It is
held in Ras al-Ayn Park. Baalbeck was
selected as the central point of the
celebration since it is one of many
stations of the exiled convoy journey
from Karbala to Damascus.

The celebration is held in the


place where the head of Imam
Hussein was exposed. People
from neighbouring villages come
to Baalbeck to take part in this
memorial. They walk to the city in
honour of the exiled convoy. The
memorial service consists of a
play showing a station of the exile
followed by a mourning circle.

Baalbeck Traditions

The exiled convoy

107

Baalbeck Traditions

Baalbeck International Festival

How it all began


Baalbeck, among other areas, was
annexed to Mount Lebanon in
September 1920 to create Greater
Lebanon. The French mandate was
established in Lebanon during that
same year. By 1922, French cultural
and artistic influence could already
be depicted in many aspects. In
fact, during a summer night of
that same year, a group of French
military officers, their friends and
family decided to take a tour of
Lebanon and found themselves at
dusk in Baalbeck. The first French
High Commissioner for Syria and
Lebanon, General Henri Gouraud,
was among the members of the
group. Inspired by their colossal
surroundings, the group spent their
evening reciting French poems and
decided to stage a play based on a
Lebanese myth. A French journalist
wrote the script and in the autumn

108

of that same year the play was


performed in Baalbeck by a group of
Lebanese and French actors in front
of nearly four hundred spectators.
The anti-aircraft lights of the French
Air Force provided the lighting.
Almost twenty years of cultural
inactivity followed this sole
performance in Baalbeck. In the fall
of 1944, Lassociation nationale pour
le maintien et le dveloppement
de la culture libanaise presented
in Baalbeck, under the patronage
of the President of the Lebanese
Republic, Bechara al-Khoury, Les
Perses daprs la tragdie dEschyle.
The production team was Lebanese
while the French provided technical
support. The festivities were
opened with the singing of a Greek
poem and two classical dances were
also performed.

Baalbeck International Festival

The Baalbeck Festival


forever/finally anchored to Lebanese
and Near Eastern life. Years of effort
and promise and initiatives are
harvested today in a rich program
spread out over five weeks on this
plentiful Bekaa plain to restore to its
cultural glow which was promised
to it two thousand years ago by the
builders and great priests.

The commitment to culture therefore


proceeded and supported the picture
of Baalbeck as a cultural city. In 1956,
Jean Cocteau presented in person his
play The Infernal Machine.

By 1962, the Festival had acquired


a major role in Lebanons tourist
activities becoming as President
Chamoun stated a mirror with two
faces: one on World culture and the
other on Lebanese heritage and the
legacy of its ancestors.

By that time, the festival had


established the ruins of Baalbeck as
a symbol of modern Lebanon. The
President of the Festivals Committee
Ms. Aime Kettaneh states in the
official program of the 1960 season:
the International Baalbeck Festival is

In 1966, the Lebanese government


recognized the Baalbeck International
Festival by issuing a set of six stamps
honouring the event.

Baalbeck Traditions

Ten years later, in 1955, President


Camille Chamoun proposed to turn
these periodic performances into an
organized annual event in Baalbeck:
a committee (les dames du festival)
was formed with the task to organize
the festival including in the program
French and English theatre pieces, as
well as a German symphony orchestra.

109

Baalbeck Traditions

Baalbeck International Festival 2012

110

The Lebanese Nights

International and Local Guests

Baalbeck and its festival were now


part of Lebanons most remarkable
images. The organizing committee
decided to introduce local folkloric
acts by inviting the Rahbani Brothers
and Fairuz to perform in the city of
Baalbeck. Les dames du festival
decided also to improve Lebanese
dances and thus they sent siblings
Marwan and Wadia Jarrar to Russia
to develop their dancing skills. The
connection between the Rahbani
Brothers and Fairuz, along with the
dance troupe formed by the Jarrars,
would enrol in the Baalbeck Festival
under what would come to be called
The Lebanese Nights.

Baalbeck International Festival


hosted key figures like The New
York Philharmonic Orchestra in
1959, The Royal Ballet in 1961 and
1964, lOpra de Paris in 1962,
Umm Kulthum in 1966, Maurice
Bjart and his Ballet du 20e sicle
in 1966 and 1972, the Bolshoi Ballet
and Miles Davis in 1971. The festival
played a major role in launching the
careers of iconic Lebanese singers
like Wadih al Safi, Sabah, Nasri
Shamseddine, Romeo Lahoud,
Philemon Wehbeh, Zaki Nassif,
the dance company of Abdel Halim
Caracalla and many others.

The Festival after 1997

The Baalbeck International


Festival evolved to become a major
International Arts and Culture event,
yearly attracting around 15,000 to
20,000 spectators every summer,
between July and August. It hosted
icons like Sting (2001), Johnny Hallyday
(2003), Placido Domingo (2004),
Warda al Jazairiah (2008) and Maurice

Bjarts ballet (2009) among many


others.For detailed information about
the event, schedule, dates and tickets
you may visit the following website:
www.baalbeck.org.lb

The city of Baalbeck hosting


Baalbeck International Festival
If you are going to see the Baalbeck
International Festival, try to plan
your trip ensuring you will have
some time to spend in the city:
most of Baalbeck attractions are
best seen during the day. In this
way, you will be able to admire the
wonderful cultural and religious
sites, you will be captured by the
friendly atmosphere of the city
and you will also have the chance
to taste the exceptional delicacies
of the local cuisine.

Baalbeck Traditions

The Festival was put to a halt after the


civil war broke out in 1975. It resumed its
shows in 1997 with a performance of the
famous cellist and conductor Mstislav
Rostropovich accompanied by the Radio
France Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1998,
the Festival celebrated the centennial of
the visit of William II to Baalbeck. The
program included performances by jazz
giant like the Herbie Hancock Quartet,
Nina Simone and finally the legendary
Fairuz in her first appearance in the ruins
after the end of the war.

111

Baalbeck Traditions

Official Holidays
Muslim holidays and the Christian Catholic and Orthodox Good
Friday and Easter vary each year according to the lunar calendar.
January 1: New Years Day
January 6: Orthodox Armenian
Christmas
February 9: Saint Marouns day
is a Christian holiday, celebrated
yearly on February 9th. It marks
the feast of an ascetic monk, Saint
Maroun, who lived in seclusion in
northern Syria and died around
410 A.D. He is the spiritual father
of the Maronite Church.
March 25: Annunciation Day
May 1: Labour Day
May 6: Martyrs Day is a national
holiday celebrated yearly on
May 6th. It commemorates the
execution of Lebanese nationalists
by the Ottomans in 1916 in Beiruts
central square, named Martyrs
square ever since.

112

May 25: Resistance and Liberation


Day is a national holiday celebrated
on May 25th every year. It marks the
withdrawal of the Israeli troops from
southern Lebanon in 2000.
August 15: Assumption of Virgin Mary
November 22: Independence Day
December 25: Christmas Day
Ramadan: is the ninth month of the
Islamic calendar, when Muslims fast
from dawn to sunset for 30 days
during daylight hours. They refrain
from eating, drinking or smoking. It
honours the revelation of the Holy
Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.
Fasting is mandatory during the entire
month for every able Muslim. Families
get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten
before the sun rises. At sunset, the
daily fasting is broken by an iftar or
the evening meal. The meal starts with

E id el Fitr: the Feast of FastBreaking is celebrated for three


days, with the first day marking
the end of Ramadan. Muslims
are encouraged to dress in their
best clothes and attend a special
Eid prayer. On this occasion
friends and families get together
for large meals.

Eid el Adha : Eid el Adha or the


The Feast of the Sacrifice
commemorates the sacrifice that
Ibrahim (Abraham) was willing
to make of his own son Ismail. It
takes place on the 10 th and last
day of the Hajj (pilgrimage to
Mecca). On this day, an animal is
sacrificed, in much the same way
that Ibrahim sacrificed a lamb.
Children get gifts to commemorate
the holiday and special prayers
are said throughout the day.
Ashura: is usually celebrated
on October 10th. It marks the
date of the martyrdom of Imam
Hussein, grandson of the Prophet
Muhammad in the battle of
Karbala, while facing the army
of the Umayyad Caliph Yazid Ibn
Muawiya in 680 A.D. For Shiites,
Ashura is a day of mourning and
sadness. Funeral convoys and
gatherings are held throughout

Baalbeck Traditions

the eating of three dates following


the practices of Prophet Muhammad.
The Maghrib (sunset) prayer, which
is the fourth of the five daily prayers,
comes after. Then the main meal is
served. Nowadays, iftar has grown
into banquet festivals. Families,
friends and neighbours gather to eat
together. The actual night that the
Quran was revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad is called Lailat al Qadr,
the night of destiny. Muslims believe
that to stand in prayer on this one
night is said to be better than a
thousand months of worship.

113

Baalbeck Traditions

cities in Lebanon, Bahrain, Iran,


Iraq, etc. The Umayyad Caliph
gave in fact orders to captivate
and humiliate the family of Imam
Hussein, descendants of the
Prophet, known in Arabic as Ahl alBayt, the people of the house. The
convoy was brought from Karbala
to Damascus. During the short stay
of the convoy in Baalbeck, the head
of Imam Hussein was placed near
the spring of Ras al-Ayn, where the
Ras al Imam-Hussein Mosque was
built. His daughter, Khawla, died
in Baalbeck and was buried where
the Sayyida Khawla Shrine stands
nowadays. The traditional 40 days
funeral observation after Ashura is
proper to Baalbeck. Shiites gather
to mourn and visit the Ras al-Imam
al-Hussein and Sayyida Khawla
Mosques to pray.

114

Islamic New Year: marks the end


of the 354 days long lunar Islamic
year. It is celebrated on the first
day of Muharram, namely the first
month of the Islamic calendar. No
big celebrations are held during this
day. Muslims gather in Mosques for
special prayers and readings.
Prophet Muhammads Birthday:
is characterized by celebrations
aiming at describing the life of
Prophet Muhammad and special
religious songs.

Baalbeck Traditions

Extract from Douaa al-Nadba

115

Baalbeck Traditions

Dabkeh
What is Dabkeh
Dabkeh is an Arab folk dance native
to the Levant countries. It is popular
in countries like Lebanon, Jordan,
Palestine, Syria and among the
Assyrians of Iraq. Dabkeh consists of
a line dance: the leader of the dabkeh
heads the line, alternating between
facing the audience and the other
dancers. It is widely performed at
weddings and festive occasions.
Dabkeh in Arabic means literally
stamping of the feet. The leader,
called ras head or lawweeh
waver, is allowed to improvise on
the type of dabkeh. The leader twirls
a handkerchief or string of beads
known as a masbaha (similar to a
rosary), while the rest of the dancers
keep the rhythm. The dancers also
use vocalizations to show energy and
keep up the beat. Every step in the
dabkeh has its own meaning, including
the shoulders move and the dancers
facial expressions.
Dabkeh Baalbakiyah, namely the
Dabkeh of Baalbeck, is characterized

116

by the Arja and Karradiyah dance,


known nowadays as Al Zino dabkeh.
The steps are more complicated than
the usual dabkeh and involve swirling
jumps and tricky footwork. Dabkeh
in Baalbeck is usually performed
at house-buildings, harvests and
weddings.
The most fascinating weddings
are those celebrated at Al Solh
neighbourhood. They attract almost
all the inhabitants: these big events
in fact engage them in gathering and
dancing all night long. The weddings
in this part of the town managed to
keep their traditional aspect and are
still being held like as they used to be
a hundred years ago.
The dabkeh was popularized in the 20th
century by the Lebanese composers Assi
and Mansour Rahbani and singers like
Zaki Nassif, Fairuz, Wadih el Safi, Sabah
and Nasri Shamseddine. Baalbeck is
renowned for its dabkeh groups: many
of them have performed in international
festivals around the world.

Baalbeck Traditions
Dabkeh Performance

117

Baalbeck Traditions

Famous groups who perform dabkeh in Baalbeck


Caracalla Dance Company | Tel: 01/499904 www.caracalladance.com
Abdel Halim Caracalla was born in
Baalbeck in 1940. He is the son of the
great poet Abbas Caracalla. He was
also Lebanons Olympic champion
pole-vaulter.
Abdel Halim Caracalla had the
chance, in his youth, to watch Margot
Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev dance
and hear the music of Miles Davis
and Ella Fitzgerald. Those great
performers, seen in the Baalbeck
International Festival, fascinated
Caracalla.
The 25-year-old man decided to leave his
hometown and travel abroad to learn to
dance. He trained with the revolutionary
choreographer Martha Graham at the
London Contemporary Dance School and
discovered the works of Shakespeare,
which have been a perennial inspiration
for his productions, from a Midsummer
Nights Dream to The Taming of
the Shrew.

118

Caracalla came back to Lebanon and


founded his dance company in 1968.
His first studio was his home: at night,
he used to move the sofas in the sitting
room and turn it into his own dancing
studio. The company started growing
and Caracalla moved his studio to Beirut.
Aiming toward a new language in dance
with a style based on the amalgamation
of the western and oriental style, the
Caracalla Dance Theatre began its rise
at the 1972 Festival of Osaka in Japan.
With over 14 productions since 1968,
Caracalla has taken his company to
perform in major cities and theatres
around the world. During the civil
war, the company performed in Paris,
London, North Africa, Washington
DC, Moscow and many other cities.
From 1975 to 1992, Caracallas dance
company crossed every demarcation
line to entertain every faction of the
bombarded public. When the Baalbeck
International Festival resumed its

activities in 1997, the by-now-legendary


Caracalla Company was naturally asked
to do the honours alongside the cellist
Mstislav Rostropovich.

Mystery of the Bizarre (1974)


The Black Tents (1978)
Shot of Glory (1980)
Taming of the Shrew (1982)
Echoes (1985)
Midsummer Nights Dream (1990)
Elissa, Queen of Carthage (1996)
Andalusia, the Lost Glory (1997)
Much Ado about Nothing (1999)
Andalusia, the Lost Glory (1999)
Two Thousand and One Nights (2001)
Two Thousand and One Nights (2003)
Two Thousand and One Nights (2003)
The Villagers Opera! (2006)
Knights of the Moon (2007-2008)
Zayed and the Dream (2010).

Baalbeck Traditions

His style is a sounding mixture of the


modern technique of Martha Graham,
his folkloric roots and the colourful
ebullience of Arabian court culture.
Magnificent costumes are his trademark,
designed by him after journeying
to bazaars from Aleppo to Teheran.
Caracalla continues nowadays to be
the artistic director of the company
and is supported by his equally creative
children: Alissar who is the companys
choreographer and Ivan who is a director.
The company gathers dancers from
Lebanon and abroad. The permanent
company of 50 people rehearses six days
a week, regardless if there are scheduled
performances or not.

Caracallas shows

The associated dance school teaches


300 students.

119

Baalbeck Traditions

Hayakel Baalbeck| Tel: 08/377933 www.hayakel-baalbeck.com


The company was founded in 1994.
It grouped six dancers who were
trained by Abu Yehya al Solh and
Abu Ibrahim al Solh. The troupe
mastered the Dabkeh Baalbakiya
and obtained an official license from
the Ministry of Youth and Sports in
2003. The troupes official, cultural
and artistic goal is to preserve
Lebanese national heritage. The
company is managed today by
Omar Hamadeh and has around 35
dancers. Mr Hamadeh is keen to
present performances that combine
Baalbaki folk with the youth spirit.

Hayakel Baalbeck participated in many


local festivals like the festivals of Rashaya, Ehden, Tyre. The troupe also performed alongside Lebanese diva Majida
el Roumi in her concerts. The company
participated in the festivals for artistic,
cultural and folk exchanges in France and
in the Arab countries cultural festivals.
The troupe offers courses of dabkeh
to all those who wish to learn about
the folklore of Baalbeck: national
and international amateurs are being
trained to dance Baalbaki dabkeh many
of them coming from Brazil and France.

Al Majd| Tel: 08/374618 03/942490 www.almajddance.com


The company, which consists of
around thirty dancers, was founded
in 2000. Al Majd is located in Baalbeck and aims at preserving folklore
and folk heritage. The company won
numerous medals and certificates of
appreciation. The troupe also graduated more than 500 students from

120

its training centre for folk dance in


the city of Baalbeck. It participated
in many festivals like Jarash International Festival (2007), Egyptian
Opera Festival (2007). The troupe
also presented the play Meeting of
civilizations at the UNESCO Theatre
in Beirut in 2006.

Amjad Baalbeck|Tel: 03/058404


The company, headed by Mazen
Shalha, was founded in 2004. Amjad
Baalbeck committed itself at preserving
Lebanese heritage. It participated in
many Arab and International festivals,
the most important being the one that
the King of Morocco used to honour
the King of Spain. The company also
performed alongside famous Lebanese

singer Assi Hellani at the Egyptian


Opera Festival, the African Festival
in Algeria, Jarash International
Festival in Jordan, Baalbeck Folkloric
Festivals. The troupe also participated
in two fundraising events for dialysis
and for homeless children. The troupe
offers regular courses to teach dabkeh
to amateurs.

Al Shark Company|Tel: 03/765180 03/386136

The company evolved and gathered


around forty dancers in 2011. On April
18th, 2011 the troupe was officially
registered in the Lebanese Government
as an artistic and cultural institution,
with the aim to preserve the cultural

heritage and folklore of Baalbeck as


well as the different Lebanese cultures.
Among the most important performances of Al Shark Company, we
can mention the participation in Deir
el Ahmars annual Festivals, participation in Al Qaa Festival, participation to
exhibitions in China alongside Caracalla
Dance Company, participation in Dubai
Festival, Participation in Jarash Festival
with singer Assi Hellani and many other
local and international events.

Baalbeck Traditions

The troupe was founded in 2009 by


Ziad Samir Hlayhel. It grouped ten
men from Baalbeck, who were trained
by one of the sheikhs (elders) of the
Dabkeh Baalbakiya, Mohammad
Doukhi Solh known as Abu Bilal.

121

Baalbeck Traditions

Nargileh

Nargileh, often pronounced also


as Argileh, is a special apparatus
for smoking tobacco. Also known
as hookah or water pipe or shisha,
nargileh has a long flexible hose and
the smoke is drawn through water. Its
origin is India or Persia. It is believed
that a Persian physician at the Indian
Court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar
first passed the smoke of tobacco
through a small bowl of water to purify
and cool the smoke and thus invented
the hubble-bubble or hookah. The first
nargileh was made out of coconut shell.
Charcoal is placed on the top of the
tobacco. Smoking the hookah gained
popularity outside of its native region

122

in India and the Middle East and is


gaining popularity in North America,
South America, Europe, Australia and
South Africa. During ancient times,
having an ornamental nargileh in one
corner of the room was fashionable
and the status of a hostess was often
determined by the nargileh she offered
her guests.
The tobamel (muassal), which is
a flavoured mixture of tobacco
and molasses, is the main product
consumed in nargileh. There is a wide
array of flavoured tobacco such as
apple, lemon, mint, strawberry, grapes,
rose, etc.

Baalbeck Traditions
Artisan making Nargileh

123

Baalbeck Traditions

In the Arab world, smoking nargileh is


considered a part of the local culture
and traditions. Social smoking is done
in the forms of parties or small gettogethers. The house and the caf
represent the main places where
conviviality of nargileh emerges.
Most cafs in Baalbeck offer shishas:
it is part of Baalbecks every day
culture and is a very sociable activity.
These cafs are seen as social places,
where people discuss on varied issues.
Nargileh smokers believe it gives you
time to think while smoking, teaches
patience and tolerance and gives you
an appreciation of good company.

124

When the smoker is finished, either


the hose is placed back on the table
signifying that it is available, or it is
handed from one user to the next,
folded back on itself so that the
mouthpiece is not pointing at the
recipient. It takes about an hour to
smoke a pipe full of fruit tobacco.

Baalbeck Traditions

Nargileh

125

Baalbeck Tourism

126

Baalbeck Tourism

Baalbeck Tourism

127

Baalbeck Tourism

Baalbeck
Quality Label

Baalbeck Quality Label and its slogan Enjoy Baalbeck Quality are
intended to guide visitors, and tourists to recognize the local products
and their values.
Hotels and Restaurants displaying the logo give evidence that these
establishments successfully participated in training activities aimed at
increasing the levels of quality and customer care. Soon the logo will be
also used for the original Baalbeck products (food, handicrafts etc) as
well as for all the tourist services that are in compliance with the quality
standards set by the relevant Lebanese Authorities.
The logo integrates the 2 main golden eras of Baalbeck, the city of the
Sun: the Roman and the Islamic period. The 6 columns of the Jupiter
Temple, witnessing the value of Baalbeck since Roman period, are used
as the symbol of the earth reaching the sun and as a reflection of the
Roman greatness. The Islamic era is reflected in the circular golden Islamic
pattern representing the sun.
The Arabic words for Baalbeck are the roots of the logo, signifying that
the city itself is the source of all the past and present achievements.

128

Baalbeck Tourism

129

Baalbeck Tourism

Shopping in

Baalbeck
There are many traditional shops
in Baalbeck that may attract your
attention. Do not forget to pass by
the souk and feel yourself a part of
the local community.
The flavour of Baalbeck food is
something you will most probably
be willing to bring with you: we
recommend you dont forget the
preserved food and the typical dishes
that you may find in the Cookbook
section of this guidebook. In some
cases and if cooking is your hobby you
wont resist buying yourself some of
the typical tools that can be used for
preparing the typical Baalbeck and
Lebanese food. Here we list some of
the most common cooking tools you
may see in Baalbeck shops:
Shawbak: wooden rolling pin, used to
prepare a wide variety of dough based
dishes and pastries.

130

Maamoul moulds: carved wooden


moulds specially used to prepare the
maamoul, traditional oriental pastries
associated with major feasts.
Wooden garlic pestle: a wooden bowl
and mortar used to crush garlic.
Terra-cotta plates: small round terra
cotta plates, traditionally used to
serve the different varieties of the
mezzeh.
Beautiful scarves and nargileh
may be found all around the city
driving your attention with their
colours and shapes. Bringing
back home with you part of the
local traditional handcrafts will
certainly help you preserve the
memory of the feeling of your visit
to Baalbeck.

Baalbeck Tourism
Scarfes from Baalbeck

131

Baalbeck Tourism

Hotels and Accommodations in

Baalbeck

Baalbeck offers magnificent landscapes, various traditions and


beautiful historical hotels. Modern hotels were established in
recent years, reflecting the citys adaptation with modernism.

Here you can find a list (in alphabetical order) of hotels and
accommodation facilities available in Baalbeck. The Baalbeck
Quality label (
) indicates the hotels which successfully took
part in the Quality Hotel Training Course. These establishments
are thus committed to provide a qualified service with special
attention to their customers care and well-being.

132

Hotel Pension Jammal


Abdel Halim Hajjar Street
08/370649 03/716072

Close to Ras al-Ayn spring, with a view


on the mountains to the west, the hotel
is furnished with modern amenities:
it has spacious rooms, all centrally
air-conditioned, with satellite TV, an
international direct dial telephone
and free internet access. The hotels
restaurants offer a variety of international
cuisine. Breakfast is served.

It is the German archaeologists


favourite place. Rooms are available on
both sides of the road. Most of them
are equipped with black pot-bellied
boilers. The hotel offers breakfast.

Al-Shams Hotel
Abdel Halim Hajjar Street
08/373284 70/069757 03/770990
fadrad@hotmail.com

The hotel has ten furnished large rooms


overlooking its central courtyard and
some with a view on the Archeological
Ruins. The rooms are all equipped
with fans and stoves for winter time.
This hotel is also one of the German
archaeologist teams favourite options.

The hotel has three rooms with washbasins


and a shared toilet and bath.

Jupiter Hotel
Abdel Halim Hajjar Street
08/376715 - 03/199843

Baalbeck Tourism

Green Paradise Hotel


Ras al-Ayn Street
Tel: 70/373567

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Baalbeck Tourism

Hotel Kanaan
Ras al-Ayn Street
03/670282- 70/177273
Overlooking Ras al-Ayn spring, this
newly built hotel has ten suites and forty
rooms. The rooms are fully furnished
with modern equipment and facilities.
Free Wi-Fi is available. Breakfast is
served. The hotel also welcomes you
to its international restaurant where
you can enjoy its delicious cuisine.

134

La Memoire Hotel
Saint Georges Street
08/373730 - 03/556944
www.lamemoirehotel.com
Located within a walking distance from
the ruins, the hotel combines tradition
and modernism with its Arabian style
designed rooms. The hotel has single,
double, twin rooms as well as junior
suites. One of the rooms has a terrace
and another is reserved for nonsmokers. The hotels facilities include
a barber and beauty salon, a coffee
shop and a restaurant. The hotel also
welcomes you on its terrace to enjoy
a traditional nargileh. Free internet
is available.

Palmyra Hotel
Abdel Halim Hajjar Street
08/370230
palmyra@baalbeckpalmyrahotel.com
rimabaalbeck@yahoo.com
www.baalbeckpalmyrahotel.com

The hotel is located in the buildings


first floor, next to the Archaeological
Site and not far from the Venus
Temple. It offers a great view of the
ruins. Shouman Hotel has five rooms
with a shared bath and toilet. Two
additional rooms are available with
private bathrooms and hot water. Free
Wi-Fi is available. Breakfast is offered
at the Cesar Taverne restaurant.

Baalbeck Tourism

The oldest hotel of Lebanon has a


wonderful view of the Archaeological
Ruins. It has hosted Baalbecks important
visitors from General Charles de Gaulle
to Jean Cocteau, whose drawings can
still be found everywhere in the hotel.
All the furniture in the rooms is antique,
from the brass beds to the wash stands
which add an ambiance and a feeling
rarely found in todays hotel culture.
A new wing has been added to the
main hotel: an old Lebanese house has
been renovated and converted into a
restaurant, bar including five rooms in
compliance with the traditional Palmyra
style. The furniture remains antique but
the bathrooms have new designs, they
have balconies and are all equipped with
a heating system. Breakfast is served at
the hotels restaurant.

Shouman Hotel
Ras al-Ayn Blvd
08/372685 - 03/796077
shouman-hotel@hotmail.com

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Baalbeck Tourism

Restaurants

Here you can find a list (in alphabetical order) of restaurants


that serve traditional food and Lebanese Mezzeh in Baalbeck.
The Baalbeck Quality label (
) indicates the restaurants
which successfully took part in the Quality Restaurant and
Catering Training Course. These establishments are thus
committed to provide a qualified service with special attention
to their customers care and well-being.

136

Lebanese Mezzeh

Restaurant Al Thuraya
Douris Main Road
08/340961 03/847181

You can enjoy traditional Lebanese


dishes served during daily lunch
meals.

The restaurant offers Eastern and Western


cuisine, all kinds of juices and pastries.

Restaurant Al Rawabi
Ras al-Ayn
08/371666
This restaurant serves typical
Lebanese dishes and can host up to
500 customers.

Restaurant Baytna
Ras al-Ayn Street
70/524878

Baalbeck Tourism

Restaurant Al Ajame
Souks Street
03/370051

Baytna can provide Lebanese mezzeh


for 50 persons in its indoor and
outdoor space. It also serves Lebanese
daily lunch meals.

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Baalbeck Tourism

Restaurant King
Ras al-Ayn, close to Al Bayada
08/371849 03/378367

Restaurant Paradise
Ras al-Ayn Street
70/925263

This restaurant serves typical


Lebanese dishes and can host up to
200 customers.

100 persons can enjoy a traditional


Lebanese breakfast of foul (dish made of
fava beans, one of the best in town) and
hummus in the indoor and outdoor space.
The restaurant opens from 7.00 till 14.00.

Restaurant Machawi
Near Sayyida Khawlas Shrine
08/375636 - 70/375636
The restaurant can host 200 persons
in its indoor and outdoor space. It also
serves Lebanese breakfast.

138

Restaurant Ras El-Ayn


Near Ras al Hussein Mosque
08/370616
The restaurant serves traditional
Lebanese dishes and can receive up to
500 persons. It organizes wedding dinners
in its indoor and outdoor dining halls.

Restaurant Taverne Cesar


Al Qalaa Street
08/372685 03/796077

The restaurant can receive up to 250


persons. It has an indoor and outdoor
space. It also offers alcohol.

The Taverne hosts up to 50 persons in


its indoor and outdoor space facing
the temples. It also serves traditional
Lebanese breakfast and offers free
Wi-Fi for its visitors

Restaurant Sun Palace


Al Qalaa
08/372685
This restaurant serves typical
Lebanese dishes and can host up to
250 customers.

Baalbeck Tourism

Restaurant Shahrazad
Yaghi Simbala Centre
08/371851

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Baalbeck Tourism

For a traditional
sandwich

These are the places where you can enjoy traditional Lebanese
sandwiches like falafel, shawarma, etc
Here you can find a list (in alphabetical order) of restaurants
that serve traditional sandwiches in Baalbeck. The Baalbeck
Quality label ( ) indicates the restaurants which successfully
took part in the Quality Restaurant and Catering Training
Course. These establishments are thus committed to provide
a qualified service with special attention to their customers
care and well-being.

140

Lebanese Kebab

Restaurant Al Fajer
Yaghi Square
03/038846

Restaurant Al Bakhach
Nasser Square
Tel: 70/005907

Restaurant Al Hana
Douris- Baalbeck Main Road
03/841408

Restaurant and Caf Al Dawha


Near Sayyida Khawlas Shrine
08/375636

Restaurant Al Hana also serves


traditional Lebanese breakfast

Baalbeck Tourism

Restaurant Adraj Baalbeck


Ras al-Ayn Street
08/377599

141

Baalbeck Tourism

Restaurant and Caf Arcada


Old Souk
03/961691
Arcada welcomes you to its outdoor
and indoor space. It also serves
traditional Lebanese breakfast and
Lebanese coffee.

Restaurant Barakat
Near Sayyida Khawlas Shrine
08/372990
Restaurant and Caf Diwan Al Hallani
Ras al-Ayn Street
03/445372

Restaurant Farhat
Bechara Khoury Street
08/371448

142

Restaurant and Caf


Hayakel Baalbeck
Bechara Khoury Street
08/372854
Restaurant Khayam
Abdel Halim Hajjar Street
08/370329
Restaurant Khayam can host up to
18 persons and serves traditional
Lebanese breakfast.

Restaurant and Caf Layalina


Bechara Khoury Street
08/371448

Restaurant Nabouch
Camille Chamoun Street
Tel: 08/371445
Capacity: 40 persons

Restaurant Nadim
Bechara Khoury Street
08/372854
Capacity: 8 persons

Restaurant Zahrat Loubnan


Ras al-Ayn Street
03/445372
Capacity: 50 persons

Restaurant and Caf Nawras


Ras al-Ayn Street
70/524878

Restaurant and Caf Venus


Facing Al Barbara Mosque
08/371851

Pizza Uno
Al Manini Centre
08/372117 03/251158

Baalbeck Tourism

Restaurant Sindibad
Bechara Khoury Street
08/371452
Capacity: 16 persons

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Baalbeck Tourism

or for a snack

These places serve Lebanese sandwiches like falafel, shawarma,


etc. and are the most suitable places to grab a bite on the way.
Here you can find a list (in alphabetical order) of food stalls
and bakeries that serve traditional sandwiches in Baalbeck.
The Baalbeck Quality label (
) indicates the food stalls and
bakeries which successfully took part in the Quality Restaurant
and Catering Training Course. These establishments are thus
committed to provide a qualified service with special attention
to their customers care and well-being.

144

Lebanese Saj

Furn Al Siyaha
Khalil Mutran Square
71/467078 - 03/406942

La Sheesh
Souks street
03/465719

Snack Al Zahra
Serail Street
03/283388

Snack Balouk
Serail Street
71/306088
Snack Balouk serves snack as well as
fruit cocktails and juices.

Baalbeck Tourism

Furn Al Siyaha is a traditional bakery


which serves the traditional sfiha, one
of the best in town.

Snack Al Iman
Ras al-Ayn Street
08/376125

Snack Malak Al Vitamine


Serail Square
08/379636 371936 - 378936

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Baalbeck Tourism

Pastry shops

Pastry shops in Baalbeck offer a variety of delicious Lebanese


sweets like Baklava, Osmaliyeh, Karabij, etc. Dont miss the
traditional Baalbaki sweet Nammoura bi ashta: it is unlike
anything youve tasted before.
Here you can find a list (in alphabetical order) of pastry shops
that serve traditional sweets in Baalbeck. The Baalbeck
Quality label (
) indicates the pastry shops which successfully
took part in the Quality Restaurant and Catering Training
Course. These establishments are thus committed to provide
a qualified service with special attention to their customers
care and well-being.

146

Baklava

Pastry Al Halani
Saint George Street
03/658151

Pastry Al Ashi
Souk Street
71249981

Pastry Al Hana
Al Chaykh Habib Street
08/373242

Pastry Al Haidari
Rue Bechara El Khoury
03/822431

Pastry Al Jawhara
Salah Haydar Street
08/371543

Baalbeck Tourism

Pastry Abou Tayeb


Nasr Square
03/498615

This pastry shop serves fabulous


Maamoul mad bi ashta.

147

Baalbeck Tourism

Pastry Al Jawhari
Souks Street
03/434616
This pastry shop is one of the oldest
in Baalbeck: it serves fabulous Knefe
bi ashta and the famous nammoura
bi ashta.

Pastry Asala
Bechara Khoury Street
08/372854

Pastry Al Zawak
Camille Chamoun Street
08/374091

148

Pastry Bayan
Souks Street
71/395634

Pastry Berro
Al Assira Street
08/373742

Pastry Hussein Al Afrah


Camille Chamoun Street
08/372850

Baalbek Tourism

Preparation of Knefe

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Baalbeck Tourism

Cafs

In the following places you can try the experience of smoking


a nargileh, having traditional coffee or tea and drinking some
of the citys most exotic fruit cocktails.
Here you can find a list (in alphabetical order) of coffee shops
that serve traditional coffee, tea and food in Baalbeck. The
Baalbeck Quality label (
) indicates the coffee places which
successfully took part in the Quality Restaurant and Catering
Training Course. These establishments are thus committed
to provide a qualified service with special attention to their
customers care and well-being.

150

Cardamom seeds

Al Bal Caf
76/738097

Caf Crystal
Serail Street
08/370285
Caf Daou Kamar
Nasser Square
70/005977

Ananas Caf
Yaghi Street
03/038846

Caf Saydah
Ras al-Ayn Street
08/377599

Baalbeck Tourism

Al Madina Park
03/766159

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Baalbeck Tourism

How Baalbeck
(and Lebanon) works

Languages in Lebanon

Travel advices

The official language is Arabic, followed


by English and French. Armenian is spoken among the Armenian community
of Lebanon.

Tourists should carry identity cards or


passport at all times as checkpoints
on the way to Baalbeck might require
showing them.

Time
Lebanese time is G.M.T +2 hours in
winter (October to March) and +3
hours in summer (April to September).

Security
Baalbeck is perfectly safe to visit.
In Baalbeck, streets are particularly
safe day and night. The citys culture
encourages the citizens to watch out
for tourists while touring the city.

152

If you are travelling in the evening or


in dark hours and you come across
a check point it is a common use to
turn on the inside light to facilitate the
police control procedures.
Registration of your presence at your
Embassy through the available tools
(dedicated websites etc) is always
advisable.

Health Tips

Health insurance is essential. Doctors


normally speak either English or
French. The majority of hospitals in the
region are private and require proof
of the patients ability to pay the bill
before providing treatments.

No particular vaccine is required to


visit the country. Hepatitis A and B
vaccines are recommended; also make
sure Tetanus-Diphtheria and measles
vaccinations are up-to-date. A typhoid
vaccine is also recommended for travel
to Lebanon.

Tourists who are not insured and


require hospitalization should contact
their Embassy for advice.Standards
at Lebanons public hospitals are
generally lower.

Food and Drinks


Although tap water is chlorinated
it is not recommended to drink it.
Bottled water is widely used. Milk is
pasteurized and dairy products are
safe for consumption. Local meat,
poultry, sea food, fruits and vegetables
are generally considered safe to eat.

Baalbeck Tourism

Baalbeck Health Care

153

Baalbeck Tourism

Currency
Lebanons currency is the Lebanese lira
(LL) or Lebanese pound. There are a few
coins of LL50, 100 and (more commonly)
250 and 500 pieces in circulation, as
well as paper bills of 1,000; 5,000;
10,000; 20,000; 50,000 and 100,000.
US Dollars are accepted everywhere and
are interchangeable with the Lebanese
lira. Many places give change in either
currency. The US$/L.L. exchange rate is
relatively stable, hovering around US$
1= L.L. 1,500.The Euro/L.L. exchange
rate has fluctuated over the years.
Check your currency converter before
you head to Baalbeck.

154

Travellers cheques (in any currency)


are not accepted. The best way to
access cash is through the ATMs
available in the city. ATMs accept
credit cards or co-branded home
banking cards for Cirrus, Diners Club,
Maestro, MasterCard, Visa and VisaElectron and dispense cash in both
Lebanese lira and US dollars.
There are plenty of moneychangers
that sometimes offer better rates than
the banks. Check commission, which
can range from 3% to 5%.

Electricity

Postal Services

Electric voltage is 220, 50 cycles.


A two-pin plug, with round pins is
commonly used. (Type C, similar to
many European countries).

It is recommended to go directly to the


post office for any postal needs. The
mail forwarding is fairly fast (about one
week for Europe and North America).

Car Driving
If you intend to drive in Lebanon, it is
imperative to have an international
driving license in case you dont

have a Lebanese one. Be sure at all


times to drive on the right side of
the road.

Transportation

If you are standing on a street,


services and taxis usually stop and
honk. Shout your destination to the
driver and if he nods then get in,

whereas if he tips his head upward


or glances up (typical Lebanese body
language), then its a no. Payment
for services is usually a standard
charge of 2.000 L.L. unless you are
going to another city where you may
have to take more than one service. It
is better to set the price beforehand,
after a brief friendly bargaining.
Buses: the microbuses are on the whole
cheaper and offer regular departures to
Zahle, Baalbeck, Beirut, Masnaa and
Damascus and less frequent departures
to Rashaya and El Qaraoun. The trip
from Beirut to Baalbeck takes about
two hours each way.

Baalbeck Tourism

Service and taxi: the best and


cheapest way to get around is by
taxi or a shared taxi known locally
as service. Taxis and services are
usually Mercedes cars distinguished
by red number plates. Service
taxis will stop wherever you want,
provided that your destination is
within the route or itinerary of the
other passengers sharing the car with
you. Taxis will have higher price but
take you directly to destination.

155

Baalbeck Tourism

Be nice with

Baalbeck

A brief insight to local etiquette for foreigners and hints to enjoy your stay

Social conventions

Dress and Behaviour Code

Citizens of Baalbeck are known for


their hospitality. A handshake is the
normal form of greeting for men
whereas women should just nod.

Visitors are kindly asked to respect the


religious places during their visit by
observing simple rules of conduct. It
is therefore recommended to follow
some basic rules and guidelines for
clothing and behaviour to avoid
causing any offence.

A small gift is a must, particularly if


invited at somebodys home for a meal.
Smoking is common and acceptable
unless specified otherwise.

Modest, conservative, loose fitting


clothing, long sleeves, long skirts and
trousers are always a good option.
Transparent (see-through) clothing
should be generally avoided.
S horts for men are not advisable,
as shorts and miniskirts are not
considered as the best option
for ladies: skirts are preferred if
ankle length.

156

Baalbeck Welcome

Tight clothing, swimwear and


beachwear are never recommended
while visiting historical cities and in
Baalbeck would not be considered
appropriate.

Bringing a headscarf for ladies is


important as they will be asked
to cover their head in Shrines and
Mosques. In some mosques you may
borrow an abaya (a traditional tunic
with hood) that will help you feel
more comfortable within the holy
places while respecting the rules.

For respect to worshippers, visitors


should stay within the areas of the
mosque that are permitted and not
roam freely around.
Smoking and food are not allowed
in the Mosque areas, within a
Church or any Holy place. Visitors
are requested not to touch the Holy
Quran (Holy Book) or architectural
elements inside the main prayer hall.

Baalbeck Tourism

Shoes shall be removed before


entering Mosques, so slip off shoes
can be a comfortable choice to make
this process easier.

Refrain from intimate behaviour in


public (i.e. holding hands or kissing)
and especially in places of worship is
a good way to respect the local habits.

It is always advisable not to visit


mosques or churches during prayer
time or ceremonies.

157

Baalbeck Tourism

Tipping

Eating in Lebanon

Tips should be handed to porters,


waiters, hotel staff, guides, doormen,
etc. The average rate in restaurants in
10-15% whereas with other service
providers anywhere between 2.000
and 10.000 are acceptable (depending
on the type of service and quality
provided). Consider that in some cases
(e.g. the waiters that will help you
with your nargileh and others) the tip
constitutes their only form of salary.

Eating in Lebanon is tied to family:


people almost never eat alone. The
Lebanese consider eating out a social
and almost aesthetic experience.

Public Holidays
18 different communities co-exist in
Lebanon. Thus, the country has a full
calendar of official holidays. Banks,
government offices and schools
are closed during those holidays.
However, it is possible to find shops
and restaurants open for customers.
Muslim holidays are timed according
to local sightings of various phases of
the moon and the dates given below
are therefore approximate. During the
month of Ramadan, that precedes Eid
el Fitr, Muslims fast during the day
and feast at night: normal business
patterns may be interrupted.

158

Breakfast, is usually served between


7h00 and 8h30 a.m. Traditionally, it
consists of dairy products, such as
Labneh and white cheese, served with
olive oil, accompanied by olives and
warm bread. Some have the famous
manousheh, the Lebanese breakfast,
similar to a pizza. Tea and other hot
drinks are served on table.
Lunch, the largest of the three
meals eaten each day, is usually
served around 2:00 p.m. It consists
traditionally of a series of appetizerlike dishes called the mezzeh served
alongside the national salad: namely
Tabbouleh or Fattoush. Dessert would
include the delicious Lebanese sweets
and a wide variety of fruits.
Dinner is usually served around 7:00
p.m. It consists of the leftovers of
lunch or dairy products served with
bread and tea. When families gather
for dinner, mezzeh, meat based dishes
and desserts are served.

Dining Etiquette
If you are invited to a Lebanese house
for dinner the following hints may help
you feeling at home:

Baalbeck Tourism

Dress well, sportswear is not


appropriate.
Greet elders first
Lebanese table manners are
relatively formal so you should
wait to be told where to sit.
Avoid
sensitive
topics
of
conversation such as politics,
religion or the civil war unless you
know the hosts are comfortable
talking about it.
You will be expected to try all
foods at the table.
Bread is the basic element for any
Lebanese meal: it replaces the
spoon, the fork and the napkin.
Expect to be urged to take second
or even third helpings. It is thus
best to eat less on your first
helping so that a second helping
is possible. This shows your host
you are enjoying the food and are
being taken care of.

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Baalbeck Tourism

In case of

Phone Lines
The first two digits of Lebanese
telephone numbers are the area code.
The area code for Beirut is (01), (08)
for Bekaa. If you are dialling Lebanon
from outside the country, omit the (0)
in the area code.
Telephone booths are accessible for
local and international calls. Payphone
cards are available in post offices.
Mobile phones can be widely found
in the Lebanese market; however most
businesses and homes have land lines.
The area codes for mobile phones are
(03), (70), (71) and (76).

160

Useful numbers
Fire Department 175

Municipality of Baalbeck
08/370214 - 08/377350

Ministry of Tourism
Zahle 08/802566

Lebanese Red Cross 140

Ministry of Tourism
Beirut 01/340940

Civil Defence 125


Police 112
Lebanese Internal security 1722
General Security 1717

Lebanon Call Services 1515


Electricity of Lebanon 1707

Baalbeck Tourism

Country Code +961

Airport 150
Weather 1718

161

Baalbeck Tourism

Hospital
Baalbeck Governmental Hospital
Ras al-Ayn
Tel: 08/370470
Fax:08/370022
Dar Al Amal University Hospital
Douris main road
Tel: 08/340620-1-2-3-4
Fax: 08/340627
Ibn Sina Hospital
Baalbeck-Tall el Abyad
Tel: 08/371811 - 08/376811

162

Al Hekma Hospital
Baalbeck North Entrance, Tall el Abyad
Tel: 08 379138
Al Tatari Hospital
Baalbeck North Entrance
Tel: 08 371 903
Al Mortada Hospital
Baalbeck Southern Entrance
Tel: 08 377880/1
Al Rayan Hospital
Baalbeck North Entrance, Al Sharawna
Tel: 08377490

Pharmacies
Baalbeck Pharmacy
Ras al-Ayn Street
08/371920 - 03/059049

Al Kafaa pharmacy
Bechara Khoury Street
08/374734 - 03/740250

Ghassan pharmacy
Abdel Halim Hajjar Street
Tel/fax: 08/370320

Al Jadida pharmacy
Saleh Haidar Street
08/370626

Nabil pharmacy
Baalbeck
08/325611

Al Masri pharmacy
Baalbeck
08/376631 03/641373

Razi pharmacy
Nasser Square
08/376370 - 03/258155

Al Wafa pharmacy
Sheikh Habib Street
08/376730

Rida pharmacy
Bechara el Khoury Street
08/371363 - 03/352030

Baalbeck Tourism

Al Hadissa pharmacy
Bechara Khoury Street
08/371786 - 03/379743

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Baalbeck Tourism

Banks

Bank of Lebanon
Bechara Khoury Street
Tel: 08/370444
Fax: 08/377251

Bank Saderat Iran


Near Liban Post
Tel: 08/373858; 08/371841
Bank Saderat Iran operates from
Monday to Thursday from 8.00 till
13.30; and on Friday and Saturday
from 8.00 till 12.00.

BBAC: Bank of Beirut and Arab


Countries
Al Qalaa Street
Tel: 08/374014
Fax: 08/374016
Mobile: 03/614899
BBAC operates from Monday to Friday
from 8.00 till 14.00 and on Saturday
till 12.00

164

Socit Nouvelle de la Banque de


Syrie et du Liban
Khalil Mutran Square
Tel: 08/370333
Fax: 08/371876
Socit Nouvelle de la Banque de Syrie
et du Liban operates from Monday
to Friday from 8.00 till 14.00 and on
Saturday till 13.00

Fransabank
Ras al-Ayn Street
Tel: 08/373151 - 08/373801
Fax: 08/370379
Fransabank operates from Monday
to Friday from 8.00 till 17.00 and on
Saturday till 14.00

Jammal Trust Bank


Khalil Mutran Square
Tel: 08/371198 - 08/371275
Jammal Trust Bank operates from
Monday to Friday from 8.30 till 13.30
and on Saturday till 13.00

Mobile companies
MTC Touch
-01/566111

Alfa
08/544995 Bekaa
03/391000 Beirut

Baalbeck Tourism
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Baalbeck Tourism

Useful Websites
Beirut Airport
www.beirutairport.gov.lb

Lebanese Yellow Pages


www.yellowpages.com.lb

Lebanese Ministry of Tourism


www.lebanon-tourism.gov.lb

Lebanese White Pages


www.leb.org

Baalbeck Municipality
www.baalbeckmunicipality.com

Liban Post
www.libanpost.com.lb

Baalbeck Union
www.baalbeckunion.gov.lb

Governmental Portal for Information


and Forms
www.informs.gov.lb

Lebanese Association of Travel and


Tourist Agents www.1stlebanon.net
Lebanese Syndicate of Car rentals
- http://carrentalsyndicate.com/
Lebanese Syndicate of Tourist Guides
http://tourguideslb.com/guide.html

166

Ministry of Environment
www.moe.gov.lb
Ministry of Telecommunications
- www.mpt.gov.lb
Ministry of Public Health
www.public-health.gov.lb

Baalbek Tourism

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Baalbeck Tourism

168

Baalbeck Cookbook

Baalbeck Cookbook

169

Baalbek Cookbook

Cookbook
Baalbeck has a wide culinary tradition: local cuisine represents
a part of Baalbeck culture that should not be missed by those
who really want to discover this wonderful city. This cookbook,
by presenting some of the most popular recipes, is intended
to offer the visitors and cooking lovers the opportunity to
discover local ingredients, organize a culinary visit in the
city and take home a zest of Baalbeck taste.

Main ingredients in Lebanese and Baalbeck dishes


Ambrees
Ambrees is a white salty, acid, yogurttype cheese of soft consistency
obtained from the processing of
goat milk. The characteristic of the
ambrees lies in the recipient in which
it is produced: the serdaleh. Serdaleh
is an elongated jar (about 1m-long),
made of terracotta.
Peculiarity of the serdaleh is a wide
opening on the top which allows
adding milk, removing the solid
ambrees when ready and, ultimately,
cleaning the jar. Serdaleh is also used
in some cases, as in Mount Lebanon,

170

to indicate the product, the ambrees,


rather than only the recipient. The
end of the serdaleh is pointed. The
jar is kept up by a stand.
In the bottom side of the serdaleh
theres a small opening that is
usually closed by a willow twig. At
the beginning of the goat milking
season, raw milk, to which 10% sea
salt is added, is put in the serdaleh,
the milk will start to ferment. A few
days later, the fermented solids will
be separated from the liquid and will
float on its surface.

Ambrees

Ambrees is produced between May


and October in specific geographical
areas where goats graze. A crucial
factor is the know-how of the
producers built over generations: the
producer with his observation and
expertise knows where to place the
serdaleh, the proportion between
salt and milk and the fermenting
conditions in order to obtain an
excellent product.

Baalbek Cookbook

The twig will be carefully removed and


the somewhat transparent liquid, the
whey, will be drained out through the
opening. Milk is added from the top
and whey removed from the bottom
opening until the serdaleh is filled.
About three months later, depending
mainly on the prevailing weather
conditions, the ambrees can be collected
and consumed either fresh or made into
balls and preserved in olive oil.

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Baalbeck Cookbook

Tannour bread

172

To prepare tannour bread wheat flour


is mixed to yeast and little salt and
kneaded with water until it becomes
dough. It is then left for several hours
to double in size. When the dough is
ready, it is cut into orange size balls,
sprinkled with wheat flour and left to
rest and rise again. A wooden board
is sprinkled with flour: using both
hands in a traditional way the balls
are flattened, one ball at a time, into
discs ready for baking.

When it is baked, the border of the


bread becomes crispy and golden.
The bread is then removed and is
replaced by another loaf. The tannour
can handle about three loaves at a
time. The preparation of the tannour
bread lies mainly on the experience of
the baker and is directly to the heat
supplied and the time needed to
obtain a well done, somewhat crispy,
light golden bread. The bread is left to
cool and then packed into plastic bags.

The oven where this kind of bread is


baked is called the tannour and consists
in a hole dug in the ground. The centre
is left to natural state and the edges are
covered by clay in order to allow the
bread loaves to stick to them. The fire is
placed in the centre: the clay walls heat
up and transfer this heat to the dough
loaves placed on the walls.

Tannour bread used to be the main


type of bread consumed in some
regions of Lebanon. It used to be
prepared on a daily basis by the
housewives. Nowadays, in Baalbeck
and other places where tannour bread
is traditionally consumed there are
bakeries for tannour bread that is
prepared using blanched flour.

Baalbek Cookbook
Tannour bread inside oven

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Baalbeck Cookbook

Burghul
Burghul is durum wheat ground into
coarse, fine and very fine size grains.
The wheat is boiled until the seeds
are opened. They are then filtered
and put directly on the flat roof
tops of the houses to dry in the
sun for several days. During the
first day the seeds are frequently
turned over until they become
completely dry.
The seeds are put in bags and taken
to special mills to grind the wheat.
The ground burghul is then sifted to
be separated and collected on three

174

different grades: coarse, medium and


fine size. Each of these has its own
traditional use.
Burghul is one of the staple ingredients
of the Lebanese diet. The different
grades are used for different purposes
in the cuisine: the coarse one is used
for cooking recipes such as mdardara
(lentil with burghul); the medium
sized one is used to prepare kebbeh
or tabbouleh.
The finest size, called sreyseerah, is
used to make vegetarian kebbeh and is
not easily found on the market.

Keshek

Keshek
sour, it is spread into small lumps and
put on clean plastic sheets, covered
with thin cheese cloth and sun dried
for several days. During the sun
drying process, the lumps are rubbed
between the palms of the hand until
they separate into a coarse powder.

To prepare Keshek, the burghul (1


kg) is soaked with yogurt laban (1 kg)
for 24 hours although some people
prefer to soak the burghul in raw milk.
Meanwhile, 5 kg of salted yogurt are
moved out of the refrigerator to acidify.

The final product is screened in


the traditional ghurbal and the
remaining large particles are ground
mechanically into a fine powder. After
that the keshek is put again to sun dry
for one or two days and stored in glass
jars or plastic bags.

The second day, the yogurt is added to


the mixture and the resulting product
is covered with a thin cheesecloth to
keep it away from dust and insects and
left for 5 days to ferment. The mixture
is stirred daily. Once it becomes quite

It can be cooked with kawarma (meat


preserved in sheep fat) in winter, as a
soup or eaten as a cold dish with water,
tomato, onion, mint and olive oil or
used to make keshek manousheh.

Baalbeck Cookbook

Keshek (or keshk, kshk) is a dehydrated


fermented mixture of yogurt laban,
milk, salt and ground wheat (burghul).
The colour varies depending on the
variety of wheat used: ivory for tender
wheat and light brown in case of
baladi (local) durum wheat.

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Baalbeck Cookbook

Appetizers
Eggplants Makdous
For this appetizer, small local eggplants,
mainly Kafarsusi quality, are generally
used. They are stuffed with a mixture
of sweet or hot pepper, walnut and
garlic and preserved in olive oil.
Ingredients: 10 kg eggplants, 1 kg
walnuts, 1 kg red hot and sweet
pepper (to be adjusted according to
personal taste), 1 kg of coarse salt, 3
cloves of garlic and 10 kg of olive oil.
Preparation: Boil the eggplants entirely
in water in a stainless container and
then cool them down under running
water. Remove the stalk and cut the
eggplants laterally in order to put some
sea salt inside. Place them in a colander
covered with a textile cloth and where
they shall be pressed for around 24
hours. The following day prepare the
stuffing made of red pepper, walnut,
garlic and coarse salt. Stuff the eggplants
and put them in sterilized glass jars. As
a final step, fill the whole jar with olive
oil adding oil for the following ten days
when necessary considering that the
eggplants absorb the oil and should
be always fully soaked in it. Eggplants
Makdous can be preserved for 1 year.

176

Eggplants Makdous

Main Dishes
Burghul in Keshek with fried onions
Ingredients: 2 cups fine burghul
(sreyseerah), 1 cup of keshek, olive oil,
and small sized white onions grilled.
Preparation: Pour boiling water over
the burghul and let soak for hr. Put
the keshek over the soaked burghul
and mix well with your hands. Pour
into the serving plate and put olive oil
on top for serving.
Burghul with Keshek is served
warm with fried small white
onions grilled.

Makhlouta bi kawarma (mixed legumes


with processed meat and coarse burghul)
Ingredients: 1cup lentils, 1 cup
chickpeas, 1 cup red beans, 1 cup fava
beans, 1 cup kawarma or cup olive oil,
3 large chopped onions, 1 cup coarse
burghul, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp ground cumin.
Preparation: Soak the chickpeas
and the beans overnight. Cook the
legumes until tender over medium
fire. Meanwhile fry the chopped
onions with the kawarma or (as
alternative for vegetarians) in olive
oil until transparent. Add this mixture
to the legumes and to burghul. Leave
on low fire till they combine very well
and the burghul is tender. Add salt and
cumin. Pour into a serving plate. Serve
hot as a main dish with bread and tender
radishes. The vegetarian makhlouta can
be served cold as well. This dish can be
accompanied with eggplant pickles.

Baalbeck Cookbook

Burghul in keshek

Makhlouta bi kawarma

177

Baalbeck Cookbook

Sfiha or fatayer bilahme


(Bread triangles stuffed with meat)
Dough ingredients: 1 tbsp of yeast, 1
cup of warm water, 1 tbsp of sugar,
tsp of salt, 3 tbsp of oil, 4 cups of flour.
Preparation: Mix flour with yeast
and warm water, sugar, salt and oil
to obtain dough of medium softness.
Cover the dough with a towel and
place it in a warm environment for
around 30 to 4-5 minutes until it
swells. Divide dough into walnut size
balls. Roll between hand palms until
smooth. Roll out balls with a rolling pin
to form 8 cm diameter circles.
Filling Ingredients: 1 kg minced lamb
meat, 3 chopped onions, cup pine nuts,
2 tsp of sumac, 2 tbsp of olive oil, salt.

178

Sfiha Baalbakiye

Preparation: Fry the chopped onions


in the oil until transparent then add
the pine nuts until they turn yellow.
Add the meat and cook well. Season
with the sumac and salt. Fill the dough
with 1 tbsp of meat mixture. Bring the
edges up with water using a brush or
your fingertip and press to make an
oval shape. Put the prepared meat
pastries in an oiled oven tray and bake
for 20 minutes or until the dough turns
golden and meat is cooked.
Sfiha Baalbakiye (Baalbeck Sfiha) is
the most famous dish in Baalbeck.
Visitors shouldnt miss it when
visiting the city.

Kawaj

Mjaddra (Lentils with Burghul)

Ingredients: 2 to 3 zucchinis, 2 medium


sized peeled potatoes, 1 big eggplant
unpeeled, 2 red onions, 2 peppers (1
red and 1 green), 3 tomatoes, 2 peeled
carrots, 1 cup of water, 500 gr. of meat,
4 big tsp of butter (or margarine), 1 tsp
of black pepper and sweet pepper,
tsp of paprika.

Ingredients: 1 cups of green lentils,


1 cups of coarse burghul, 3 onions,
olive oil, salt, water.

Preparation: Cut all the vegetables


into cubes, fry the potatoes, zucchini,
onions, pepper and eggplant separately
and set them aside. Fry the meat with
the carrots and tomatoes. Add salt,
spices and water to the fried meat. Put
the vegetables and the fried meat in an
oven dish and bake the mix in the oven
for 30 minutes.

Preparation: Chop the onions into


small pieces and cook them with olive
oil. Put lentils in water and boil them.
Wait until the lentils and onions are
cooked. Put the onions aside and wait
till their colour turns black. Filter the
oil from the onions and put it over the
lentils. Onions are ground with some
water and poured over the lentils.

Baalbeck Cookbook

Kawaj (Baalbeck Vegetable Pie)

Add salt and cook the mixture for 10


minutes. Add burghul and wait until
the mixture is ready.

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Baalbeck Cookbook

Menzaleh
Ingredients: 1 kg of small eggplants,
250gr of minced meat, 1 onion finely
chopped , salt and black pepper, 1tbsp
toasted pine nuts, 1 tsp of different
spices, 1 tsp dry red pepper, 1tbsp
margarine to fry the meat, oil to fry
eggplants, a kg of peeled and finely
chopped tomatoes.
Preparation: Peel the eggplants and
cut a small slit on the side of the
eggplants through which they will be
stuffed with the meat. Fry eggplants
in the oil until they are well done and
put them aside. Fry the onions with

180

margarine in a pan. Add meat, salt,


peppers and spices and stir the mixture
until the meat is well done. Add the
toasted pine nuts to the meat. When
ready, stuff the deep-fried eggplants
with the meat mixture through the slit.
Then, place the stuffed eggplants
in the oven. Distribute chopped
tomatoes over the eggplants.
Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and
pepper. Add 2 cups of water in the
pan and put the men in the oven at
180C for 30 minutes. You can eat
this dish with bread.

Baalbeck Cookbook
Menazaleh ingredients

181

Baalbeck Cookbook

Desserts
Nammoura bi ashta
(Nammoura stuffed with cream)
Ingredients: 1 kg semolina, kg sugar,
scoop margarine, 1 scoop milk,
scoop sugar syrup, pistachios for
decoration, ashta.
Preparation: Mix lukewarm water
with milk. Add semolina and sugar
and mix them thoroughly. Add sugar
syrup, margarine and knead them well.
Leave the compost for 12 or 24 hours
and pour it on an oven plate. The plate
is placed in the oven at 150 C for 2030 minutes or till the compost gets a
golden colour.

182

Take the compost out of the oven and


cut the nammoura into square pieces.
Slice every square horizontally in two
halves and fill it with ashta. Spread
pistachios over the filled nammoura.
We advise you not to miss this dessert
unique only to Baalbeck. Most of the
pastry shops in the town offer this
exquisitely delicious sweet.

Baalbeck Cookbook
Nammoura bi ashta

183

Baalbeck Cookbook

Maakroun Zallit
Ingredients: 1 kg of flour, 1 cup of
carob molasses, 1 tbsp of cinnamon,
1 tsp of soft mahlab, tbsp carbonate,
1 cups of olive oil. Water to knead
the dough. Oil for frying.
Preparation: Mix all the dry ingredients
(flour, cinnamon, mahlab, carbonate).
Add the oil and the carob molasses.
Add the warm water and knead until
you obtain a paste. Cover the dough
with a clean cloth and leave it to rest
for about hour.
Divide the dough into small pieces
and give them the shape you prefer.
Fry the maakroun in the oil. Remove
them when they start having a golden
colour and drain them well from the oil.
Serve the maakroun cold with carob
molasses or warm and plain.

184

Baalbeck Cookbook

Maakroun Zallit

185

Baalbeck Cookbook

Lazzaqiyeh (Baalbeck pancake)


Ingredients: 3 l of water, 1 kg of wheat,
1 cup of milk, 1 tsp of yeast, 1 tsp of
baking powder, 1 tsp of sugar, 1 egg,
a tsp of salt.
Preparation: Mix the ingredients in a
bowl, cover the mixture with a cloth
and let it rest for 45 minutes or 1 hour.
The mixture is ready to use when foam
appears on the surface.
Spread some butter (or margarine)
in a pan. Using a big spoon, spread
the dough in the pan in order to get
a circular shape. Let it bake for 5
minutes then turn it on its other side
and proceed for 5 minutes more until
the dough takes the form of a loaf of
bread. Remove the dough when its
colour becomes golden.
Add sugar, butter or chocolate, fruits,
jams to the pancake; roll it up into a
sandwich and cut it into pieces. The
lazzaqiyeh is best eaten when hot.
The lazzaqiyeh can be prepared also
in a vegetarian version by adding
spinach as a filling and closing it in
a triangular shape. Bake it for 15
minutes in the oven and your spinach
lazzaqiyeh will be ready.

186

Lazzaqiyeh preparation

Carob Molasses Halawa

Grape Jam

Ingredients: 2 cups of flour, 4 tbsp


of margarine, 3 tbsp spoons of carob
molasses, 4 tbsp of sugar, small spoon
of cinnamon.

Grape jam is made with white grape from


the local region, sugar, water and geranium
(Pelargonium graveolens) leaves.
Ingredients: 1 kg grapes, 500 gr. sugar,
100 gr. water.
Preparation: Separate the grapes
from the stalks and wash them with
water. Prepare a syrup with sugar and
water and heat it: when the syrup
starts boiling, add the grapes. Let the
mixture boil for two hours until the
colour of the jam becomes reddish.
No stirring is needed in order to keep
the grapes whole. Eventually add 1
geranium leaf and keep the jam boiling
for one additional minute to transfer
the geranium scent. Store the jam in
sterilized glass jars.

Baalbeck Cookbook

Preparation: Toast the flour in a


pan and stir until its colour starts
changing. Boil aside a cup of water
with sugar, carob molasses, cinnamon
and margarine. Put the toasted flour
in a big bowl and add sugar and carob
molasses to the mixture. Wait until the
mixture gets cold then knead it in the
form of tablets. If you like, you can add
walnuts to the carob molasses halawa.

187

Baalbeck Cookbook

Grape Molasses

188

Grape molasses is a brown molasses


obtained by a specific local variety of
ripe grape called Merweh, the most
suitable to prepare molasses.

During the boiling phase the juice shall


be frequently stirred to oxygenate it
and make it get a lighter brown golden
colour.

Preparation: Collect ripe grapes and


put them in a bag. Insert the bag in a
big metal cylinder with small holes and
press with a screw press connected
to a wood cover. The squeezed juice
should be collected in a copper
container. Cook the juice, and just
before reaching the boiling point,
turn off the fire for 4-5 minutes to cool
down the juice. Filter the juice and
add natural rock calcium carbonate
to remove the acidity. Eventually put
the juice on the fire again and boil it
for 3- 4 hours until it becomes thick.

The molasses shall be stored in plastic


containers.
To make the grape molasses a long
day and many people are needed: to
collect the grapes, wash them, extract
the juice and stir the product. In many
villages this preparation has turned
into a ritual: all night long festivals are
thus organized to prepare collectively
the grape molasses. Grape molasses is
served with bread, especially during
winter season, as a dip or used to make
other types of traditional biscuits.

Jam selection

Apricot Jam

Preparation: Wash the apricots and


remove the stones.

containers and boil them without


adding water for 1 hours. Do not
stir the jam frequently in order to
maintain the apricots whole. When
the mixture is still hot, pour it directly
in glass jars.

Put the apricots in a container. For


each kg of apricots, you shall consider
adding 700 gr. of sugar. Leave the
apricots for one night in the container
in order to release the water. The next
day, transfer them in stainless steel

Apricot jam is generally produced in


June. This traditional jam has been
prepared for more than 50 years due
to the huge production in the area
and because it is a very good way to
preserve apricots for winter time.

Baalbeck Cookbook

Apricot jam is prepared with golden


thahabi, a variety of apricot from
the region.

189

Baalbeck Cookbook

Drinks
Grape Molasses Drink
Ingredients: 3 tbsp of grape molasses,
1 cup water, 1 tbsp orange blossom
water
Preparation: Mix the ingredients and
adjust according to taste by adding
water or grape molasses. Serve cold
with or without ice cubes.

190

Baalbeck Cookbook
Grape molasses drink

191

Baalbeck Culinary glossary

Culinary glossary
Ashta: A Lebanese cream, consisting
in a mixture of milk, corn starch and
sugar boiled and stirred till thick.
Babaghannouj: Eggplant mashed
and mixed with various seasonings.
Falafel: A deep-fried ball or patty
made of ground chickpeas, fava
beans, or both. They are usually
wrapped in bread. The falafel balls
are topped with salads, pickles, hot
sauce, and drizzled with a tahinibased sauce. Falafel balls may also
be eaten alone as a snack or served
as part of a mezzeh.
Fattoush: A bread salad made of mixed
green vegetables topped with toasted
or fried pieces of pita bread (khubz
arabi). It is traditionally seasoned with
pomegranate molasses.
Hummus: A dip or spread made
from cooked, mashed chickpeas,
olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and in
some recipe tahini (paste of ground
sesame seeds).

192

Kafta: Ground meat mixed with


herbs and spices.
Kawarma: Meat cooked and
preserved in sheep fat.
Kebab: Meat cooked on a skewer.
Kebbeh: Cooked meat balls mixed
with burghul.
Laban: Natural yoghurt.
Labneh: Yoghurt strained to remove
the whey, giving a consistency
between that of yoghurt and
cheese, while preserving yoghurts
distinctive sour taste.
Maamoul: Shortbread pastries
traditionally filled with pistachios,
dates or walnuts; they have different
shapes according to the fillings. They
are traditionally prepared at the end
of Ramadan or, for Christians, after
the Lent period.
Makdous: Pickled stuffed eggplants.

Manousheh: One of the most


popular Lebanese breakfast items. It
is baked dough traditionally covered
with thyme, cheese, labneh or
keshek, some sort of meat etc.
Mezzeh: A selection of small dishes
served in the Mediterranean and
Middle East as lunch or dinner. The
dishes usually include: Hummus,
Babaghannouj, Kebbeh, Labneh,
Shanklish, Tabbouleh, Fattoush, etc.

Shawarma: It is a popular Levantine


Arab meat preparation, where
meat or chicken are placed on a
spit (commonly a vertical spit in
restaurants), and may be grilled for
as long as a day. Shavings are cut
off the block of meat for serving,
and the remainder of the block of
meat is kept heated on the rotating
spit. Although it can be served in

Tabbouleh: Arab salad traditionally


made of burghul, tomato and finely
chopped parsley and mint, often
including onion, seasoned with olive
oil, lemon juice and salt.
Tahini: A typical Middle East product
made of ground sesame seeds.
Zaatar: A mixture of thyme,
roasted sesame seeds, sumac,
marjoram, oregano.

Baalbeck Culinary glossary

Shanklish: A type of cows milk or


sheep milk cheese formed into small
balls, often covered in zaatar and
pepper, and then aged and dried.

shavings on a plate (generally with


accompaniments), shawarma also
refers to a pita bread sandwich or
wrap made with shawarma meat.

193

Baalbeck Credits

Credits
Funded by
Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Italian Cooperation

Under the patronage of


Lebanese Ministry of Tourism

With the support of


Baalbeck Municipality

Written by
Biladi | Joanne Farchakh Bajjaly, Joelle
Boutros, Charles Hayek, Roger Sakr

Editing
Dr Hassan Nasrallah
Dr Hawlo Faraj
Dr Khordr Nabha
Said Lakkis
Anna Dal Maso
Lara Daou
Paul Gasparini

194

Design and Layout and illustrations


Keybrain design | Nijad Abdelsamad

Photography
The pictures included in this
publication, wherever not differently
mentioned, were taken by:

Printed by
Arab Printing Press

The publication of this guidebook would


have not been possible without the strong
commitment of Hachem Othman, Mouna
Fares and Guido Benevento and without the
cooperation of (in alphabetical order) Annalisa
Cicerchia, Hussein Fakih, Hawlo Faraj, Massimo
Gherardi, Alessandro Guzzo, Ali Jaafar, Said
Lakkis, Antoun Maakaroun, Sawsan Mehdi,
Agnese Micozzi, Khordr Nabha, Hassan
Nasrallah, Alice Pandolfi, Omar Solah and
of many others that contributed in different
ways to the successful implementation of this
project. The generous collaboration of the
Baalbeck community shall also be mentioned
as an example of the local hospitality and
commitment to welcome visitors in this
wonderful city.

Baalbeck Credits

Marwan Tahtah
Bilal Jawish
Charles Boutros
Nijad Abdelsamad
Sobhi Balouk

Special thanks:

195

Baalbek Notes

Notes

196

Baalbek Notes

197

Baalbek Notes

198

Baalbek Notes

199

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