Marhaba, my friends. My day trip to Baalbek was amazing. It’s the closest I’ll come to the Syrian border on this trip, and the only tour crossing over into the “red zone” (read: dangerous) according to the British state department’s website. On the way there we passed many Syrian refugee camps, with “houses” made out of wood frames and plastic sheeting. Our guide pointed out the anti-Lebanon mountain range we were passing (yes, strange name), which forms the border between Syria and Lebanon.
Baalbek is a mostly Roman temple site built at a waypoint between Tyre and Damascus. I say “mostly” because like most constructions in this part of the world, it was built on a site first developed by a previous empire and redeveloped again after the Roman’s left. It was built to worship Baal (the sun god) by the Phoenicians, then the Romans came, kept the name Heliopolis (City of the Sun), and converted it to worship Jupiter, Bacchus and Venus. The idol representing Jupiter was a beardless golden charioteer statue raising a whip in his right hand and holding a thunderbolt and stalks of grain in his left.
As Roman sites go, this place is huge. The temple of Bacchus is the best preserved of the three and although it’s not the largest of these three, it is still larger than the Parthenon in Athens. The German Archaeological Institute was the first to survey and restore the site in modern times (1898), and they continue to do so.
Why go?
- Baalbek is an amazing site, and it’s state of preservation makes it a *must see* for anyone interested in the Middle East and history.
- Baalbek (in fact all of Lebanon) is under represented as far as historically significant sites go. The more tourists come, the better it will be preserved for us and for future generations. A bonus: for now, there are few tourists so there are no crowds.
- It has the tallest Roman columns in the world (22 meters).
What you need to know:
- The temple complex was known as Heliopolis in Greek and Roman antiquity.
- It’s foundation contains some of the largest building blocks ever quarried (about 1,000 tones!). Not far from Baalbek is a quarry with a partially carved, then abandoned, block weighing 1,650 tons! (see the pictures below)
- Getting to Baalbek from Beirut presents a problem. I took a tour with Viator to solve it (primarily because I was traveling alone), but you can also hire a taxi or even rent a car. We crossed through a few military checkpoints, but they were perfunctory (perhaps because they are used to the tour buses).
- It’s location (at least when I was there in 2017) did not appear as dangerous as the US and UK governments would lead you to believe.
- There were many empty vendor stalls around the site (presumably because of lack of tourists).
- The site can be wandered on your own, once you purchase your ticket.
- The entrance fee is 15,000 Lebanese Pounds.
On the way back to Beirut, after lunch, we stopped and did some wine tasting at the oldest winery in Lebanon. The wine is stored in bottles and wooden barrels in a cave system, keeping the wine at its ideal temperature all year round. The winery was originally developed by the Jesuits (Go Jesuits!).
Lunch was a typical Lebanese mezza, with baba ganoush, hummus, and schwarma. It was interesting to be surrounded by fellow tour members who all shared my passion for travel to unconventional locations. I am not alone! One of the guys, a young German, was also on a quest to see it all. Although I am way ahead of him, he has already chalked off Pakistan and Iran (jealous!). Not only that, his trip through Iran was spent couch surfing, by meeting locals throughout the trip. That would not be my kind of trip, but I admire his courage. We shared a laugh about the timing of the Lebanese Prime Minister’s sudden resignation and that fact that we had all already booked our Lebanon trips. None of us have felt any sense of danger on this trip despite the circumstances.
Detail of the carvings of grape vines on the Temple of Bacchus at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2-17
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The outside wall of the Baalbek, Lebanon complex, much of it reconstructed.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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Plaques on the wall of the Temple of Bacchus at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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The ceiling of the Temple of Bacchus at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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A mosaic from Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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Inside one of the alcoves of the Great Court of the Temple of Jupiter at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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The Temple of Bacchus, as seen from the Great Court at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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One of the entrance arches to the Temple of Jupiter, at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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The sign for the Temple of Jumpiter at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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The sign for the Temple of Venus at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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The Temple of Venus at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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The Megalith of Baalbeck, put into perspective by the size of the people.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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The Megalith of Baalbek, still only partially quarried.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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Me, outside the Temple of Bacchus at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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Inside the temple of Bacchus at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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Carving of a lion`s head above a Greek key pattern at Baalbek, Lebanon.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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The Great Court of Baalbek, Lebanon, looking toward Northwest.
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Picture Taken: 11/2017
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