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| Faqra |
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Faqra, approached through a labyrinth
of limestone formations known as “houses of ghosts,”
is known for its temples and its good skiing. The temple site
is also the venue of a summer cultural festival.
The temples of Qalaat Faqra at 1,550 meters are the most extensive
Roman ruins of all Mount Lebanon. The site is dominated by a huge
tower 15 meters square, which originally had a third story and
a pyramid-shaped roof. An interior staircase leads up to top.
A Greek inscription on the north-east corner of the tower and
another above the door indicate that the building was restored
by the Roman Emperor Claudius in 43 AD.
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About 50 meters north-west of the
tower is a large altar, probably associated with the tower itself.
Not far away is a colonnaded altar. The main temple, dedicated to
a “very great god,” is a rewarding place to investigate,
with its restored columns and the remains of an altar. It had a
square courtyard which was surrounded by a colonnade on three sides.
Continuing down the slope you reach the small temple, dedicated
to “the Syrian goddess,” a local form of the goddess Atargatis.
Also note the basin in the floor and the benches along the side
wall. This temple was made into a church in the 4th century AD.
The ski trails of the Faqra Club, located south of Ouyoun es-Siman
(Faraya-Mzaar) at 1,750 meters, overlook the sea and the bay of
Beirut. Members only, but special arrangements are available for
tourists.
Also in the Faqra area is the Jisr el Hajar, or natural bridge carved
over the centuries by wind and water. The 34-meter bridge is so
perfect it is hard to believe it was created by nature |
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Mount Lebanon:
