We frequently hear current news about Beirut, Lebanon, but unfortunately it is predominantly of turmoil in the city. Our visit via the EMYR, however, exposed us to so much more of the country and appreciation of its history and beauty.

Unbeknownst to us, Lebanon is the site of one of the greatest Roman temples ever built, Baalbeck. It is located eighty-five miles east of Beirut, close to the Syrian border. This structure is felt to be the largest and noblest of the Roman temples, and among the best preserved. Their monumental size was built to scale the respect merited by the gods. The largest temple was dedicated to Jupiter, while the second largest was dedicated to Bacchus, the god of grapes and wine.

For centuries, the temples of Baalbeck lay under meters of rubble, obscured by medieval fortifications. The first survey and restoration work at Baalbeck was begun in1898 by the German Archeological Mission, then followed by an extensive effort by the French in 1922. The Lebanese Directorate General of Antiquities then continued the research and restoration.

Evidence reveals that the Greeks started the courtyard, probably about 300 B.C. Then it was the Romans who built the Temple of Jupiter two centuries later. The Corinthian columns distinguish the temple, which is typically what people see in their minds when they think about Baalbeck. Why? They are 22 meters tall! How did the Romans accomplish such a feat? Six are presently remaining, but in the original temple, there were fifty-four of these enormous structures.

We continued our stroll through the archeological site and saw another building with a number of columns, although not to such a grand scale as noted in the Temple of Jupiter. However, our tour guide encouraged us to climb the thirty-three steps to the inside of the Temple of Bacchus. This interior was astonishingly well preserved. The ornate walls, roofs, statues and friezes were incredible and in such phenomenal condition. Hopefully the photo above gives it some justice.

We all enjoyed our stop in Lebanon. We covered many miles on the bus, and feel fortunate we were able to learn and have a newer appreciation of this country.



Check out the "Sailing Twins"http://www.sailblogs.com/member/sailingtwins/?xjMsgID=59716