Faqra

[Lebanese_dream]

Situated in Mount Lebanon, at an elevation of 1550m, Faqra is unique for its remarkable remained monuments which included: temples, columns, altars and rock cut tombs. Its uncommon setting and the abundance of its cool mountain flowing have incited the earliest civilizations to build temples and altars to worship their God. The visitors were mostly impressed by its sensational ruins particularly by the great temple of Faqra that is partly cut out of the living rock and rises in a spectacular location.

Moreover, you cannot pass by Faqra without admiring the nature's most spectacular wonders, a bridge called "Jisr al-Hajar" or the "Stone Bridge" with an arch measuring thirty eight meters.

Furthermore, Faqra is known today for its private ski resort with its 2,000,000 m2 overlooking Beirut and the Bay of Jounieh.

[Lebanese_dream]

Faqra est situé à une altitude moyenne de 1500 mètres environ sur le versant maritime du Mont Liban. Enneigée une grande partie de l’année, la région de Faqra était jusqu’au début du 20ème siècle très difficile d’accès. L’érosion naturelle d’un effleurement rocheux, composé d’une alternance de grès et de calcaire se présente aujourd’hui à nos yeux sous un aspect déchiqueté et acéré. La zone des rochers, telle qu’on la nomme aujourd’hui, offre une vue saisissante des prouesses de la nature. D’un caractère agressif et monumental, les rochers présentent des failles de plus de six mètres de hauteur que séparent d’étroites crevasses. Elles s’élargissent par endroit pour laisser place à des cuvettes plus larges. Non loin de là, légèrement en amont, une oeuvre de la nature, le Jisr el Hajar, rocher monolithique en forme d’arche surplombant la rivière de Nabaa El Laban.

Pour des raisons relatives à la propriété des biens-fonds environnants, les vestiges archéologiques de Faqra s’offrent aux visiteurs, subdivisé en cinq parties :

La zone de la Grande Tour
La zone des rochers
La zone du Grand Temple
La zone du Petit Temple (dit d’Atargatis) et de l’église byzantine
La zone des tombes rupestres

http://www.strabon.org/edito/article25.html

[coralie]

comment on the temples in the pictures above

(Roman Temples - 60 km from Beirut)

A maze of limestone formations known as "houses of ghosts" welcomes the visitor to Faqra. Situated at an elevation of 1550m, Faqra is famous for its temples and its good skiing. The temples of Qalaat Faqra 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 the top. A Greek inscription on the northeast corner of the tower and another above the door indicate that the building was restored by the Roman Emperor Claudius in 43 AD. The temple site is also the venue of a summer cultural festival.

About 50m northwest 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 explore, 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.

[Marley]

I m passionnate of archaelogy an in my fisrt travel in your country, i haven t visit this place!
Thank for this subject!