Travel ideas for Lebanon - unique sights, worth Guinness records

Phoenician city of Byblos, which is nowadays called Jubayl, is also among the oldest cities in the world. In biblical times, it was called Hebe; for thousands of years the city has changed several names, but it hasn’t lost its historic charm and mystery. Ancient fortifications, which were discovered by archaeologists, date back to 3000 BC, while the first traces of settlements are much older and belong to 7000 BC. Even in ancient times Byblos had the status of a major transportation hub and one of the world's largest trading centers.
Byblos maintained close relations with Egypt and Greece. The city supplied Egypt with timber, as well as with a great wine and olive oil, which were massively delivered from Greece. Egypt, in turn, provided the city with papyrus, which in many countries prized its weight in gold. Busy trading activity was not the only feature of the ancient city. During excavations scientists have found samples of so-called linear writing, indicating the high culture of the first inhabitants of Byblos.
The modern port city is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Many researchers call it ‘mosaic of civilizations.’ For thousands of years it has been forming a multi-faceted and unique cultural atmosphere, which is embodied in beautiful historic buildings and traditions. The city doesn’t lack modern trends in its territory and has a lively nightlife and colorful Arabian markets, and many other objects of interest for active tourists. ... Complete sights collection

The real leader of the planet by the number of old cities is Lebanon. The beautiful city of Beyrouth, whose history dates back more than 5000 years ago, is situated there. According to scientists, the city was founded no later than 3000 BC. Today Beyrouth is the capital of Lebanon and the most populous city in the country. It’s noteworthy that the exact number of its population isn’t known, as the last census was conducted in 1932.
Beyrouth differs not only with rich historical past, but also with surprisingly cosmopolitan present. Antique sites here border on ultra-modern skyscrapers, and respect for traditions and culture of their ancestors don’t prevent locals from keeping up with the times and being up to date in all respects. Beyrouth got the unofficial name, the "Paris of the Middle East", due to its abundance of expressive contrasts.
This focus on a particular way of life of modern city isn’t accidental. There are not so many towns in the world, where representatives of the Muslim community can go to one of the clubs to the concert of their favorite band after the evening prayer, and prefer to spend the morning on the beach to get the most even and beautiful tan. One of the most significant sites of historical heritage of Beyrouth is considered ancient monuments. The ruins of a Roman basilica have survived in the historic district; visitors can see ancient Roman baths and colonnade of Roman Berytus. For 5000 years, Beyrouth has changed a lot, but its people didn’t forget about its past and preserved the most vivid manifestation for their contemporaries. ... Complete sights collection

The abyss three bridges - such a name has the Jura cave, which is located in Lebanon. Its natural entrance is an abyss in the earth's crust with the depth of 225 meters, into which flows the Baatara waterfall. These wonderful sites of natural origin are considered as the unity. The cave-name perfectly reflects one of its chief features. In the abyss you can see three natural bridges, one above the other. According to the approximate calculations, the cave has been formed more than 160 million years ago. The impetuous underground rivers and streams continue to form the labyrinth further today.
Only the experienced speleologists can descend to the cave-grounds. At the disposal of the tourists is another exciting event - walk on one of the bridges and visit the beautiful waterfall. The bridges look very brittle, in the central part the rock has the minimum thickness, so it seems that the bridge can collapse into the abyss at any time. Although the depth of the karst base is much less than the depth of some caves, it is still considered one of the deepest and most remarkable formations of this type. ... Complete sights collection

A unique building is the ancient Jupiter temple, located in the old Lebanese city of Baalbek. Although the ancient building is now in ruins, it still admires with the size and constructional features. The main secret of the temple is the huge plates at its base, as well as the carved marble columns, whose height reached 20 meters after the approximate bills.
How many thousands of thousands of such buildings could be erected, remains unclear until today's point of view. According to the historical data, the temple in Baalbek has existed for centuries and was partly destroyed by the Emperor's Theodosius government. This area was believed to be sacred and extremely important a thousand years ago. This could explain the emergence of the gigantic temple.
In the attempt to imagine the process of temple building, one gets a series of unexplained questions. The huge rock platforms, whose weight reaches 1 000 tons, has been raised up to 7 meters. Even with the use of today's modern technology, this task is not so simple. Not far from the temple is the quarry on which the huge monoliths were carved out of the rocks. A monolith remained in the quarry. Its size is equally impressive - the monolith length is 21 meters, the height - 4.2 meters and the width - about 5 meters. As a legend was told, the unique temple was built thousands of years ago on the orders of King Solomon. ... Complete sights collection

In the region of Tannourine in Lebanon is located the Baatara waterfall. It is noteworthy, that it falls into the limestone cave of the same name. The unique geological formation was discovered relatively recently in 1952. Today, the waterfall with a height of 255 meters is one of the most striking natural attractions in the country. The cave into which the waterfall drops is equally interesting. It is often called 'the Cave of the Three Bridges'.
Centuries ago under the influence of water and wind it found a unique form. In a deep cave a certain kind of three limestone bridges have really been formed. The waterfall is located behind the bridges. Overall, the natural complex looks irresistible. Scientists believe that the Baatara is one of the oldest waterfalls on Earth and was formed about 160 million years ago.
The fact that the waterfall was undetected for so long is no wonder. The territory where it is situated is covered with lush vegetation, so it is extremely difficult to find an entrance to the deep cave with the waterfall. The wonderful sight was discovered by a famous researcher Henri Coiffait. Just a few years ago, tourists were able to walk across stone bridges of the cave and see water streams in the near vicinity. After research, the bridges were found to be too brittle, so today it is forbidden to enter them. ... Complete sights collection

The Jeita Grotto is one of Lebanon's most remarkable sights. This is a complex of two large limestone caves, whose general length is about 9 km. The lower cave was discovered a long time ago, in the first half of the 19th century. As it was found out by scientists, this cave was inhabited in prehistoric times. You can get to the lower cave only by boat, as it is filled by an underground river. It is important to note that the latter has great importance. It serves as the main source of fresh water for more than a million local residents.
The lower level of the cave is incredibly interesting, but the upper level, discovered in 1958, is considered more beautiful. Its main attractions are wonderfully beautiful stalactites. The height of some galleries of the upper cave reaches 120 meters. Thanks to the excellent lighting, the underground world looks like a fairy-tale empire whose splendour can be enjoyed for hours. In this cave is located the largest stalactite in the world, whose height is 8.2 meters.
The cave is pretty well explored. In one of the grottoes scientists have found the ruins of an old foundry workshop. For tourists, the cave has been open since 1995. Some of the grottoes were completed with the impressive illumination system and therefore look even more magical. An excursion to the Jeita Caves becomes an exciting adventure. To get to the upper level of the caves tourists can use a cable car. ... Complete sights collection

Work on the implementation of a unique project to build a villa Casa Brutale has begun in Beirut. The main feature of the brutal villa is that it will be built right on the rocky cliff above the Aegean Sea. The original building is the perfect home for those who love to watch the seascape from a height. Developers of the project are experts from Open Platform for Architecture bureau. They have created a project of the house in minimalist style that has been recognized as one of the most unique in the world.
The villa is literally built into the rock, so it will replace a part of the walls. It's planned to build a house of environmentally friendly materials, including wood, metal and concrete. One of the main features of the villa is a panoramic window, which will replace the outer wall, so tenants will be able to enjoy the marvelous sea views. Entrance to the Casa Brutale will be located on the roof. It is planned to construct a special staircase that will make it convenient to go down to the front door. In addition, the roof of the villa is equipped with a large swimming pool and a deck for sunbathing.
The unique structure is fully furnished for permanent residence. Its interior decoration also complies with minimalist style. The project has been presented in 2015. A year later, the Lebanese businessman Alex Demirdjian became interested in. Together with architects he picked a perfect location for a villa. In the current year, it will be built on a rock near RedRock Village & Spa complex, at an altitude of 1 600 meters above sea level. ... Complete sights collection

Baalbek is one of the oldest towns in the world. It is located in a picturesque mountain region near Beirut. The parts of the buildings that were found there, amaze people with sizes and the architectural accuracy. All the buildings on the territory of the ancient town were built simultaneously with the great pyramids of Giza. It is hard to imagine how all the cathedrals and other buildings were built at those ancient times. One of the most interesting buildings that you can see even now is the ancient cathedral. It is situated on a large terrace which was built much earlier.
It is made from huge megalithic blocks that weight from 300 to 800 tones. We still don’t know how people could move and set huge rough block of stone up. Here and now it is a great mystery. Stone blocks not even huge but also very heavy. Practically all stones have the regular geometric shape. The stones are tightly fit each other even it is hard to put the razor tip.
One more outstanding artefact that was found on the territory of the ancient town is the "Southern stone". This huge monolith weights about one thousand tons and is the hugest worked stone is the world. Its length is about 23 meters, width 5,3 meters and height 4,55 meters. Who made such unbelievable building in the ancient town and what was the purpose is still a secret. Many independent researchers claim that all these buildings belong to the “hand” of the inhuman creatures. ... Complete sights collection

The city of Byblos attracts fans of ancient history in Lebanon. It is also one of the three most ancient cities on our planet. The earliest organized settlements in these places date back to the 7th Millennium BC. The city was formed under the now known name in the 4th Millennium BC. Byblos had the status of a major port city in the ancient era. Its inhabitants have worshiped the sun God Baal for hundreds of years. This cult is known for its incredible cruelty. Blood sacrifices were an integral part of the religious culture of the citizens.
The inhabitants of Byblos formed a unique written language already in the Second Millennium BC. Scientists have not been able to decipher it to this day. It is completely unlike any of the known ancient forms of writing. It is noteworthy that the city of Byblos is inhabited at present. About 3,000 people live there permanently. Their homes are located in the so-called new part of the city. The historic district attracts a significant portion of researchers and tourists.
You can see the ruins of many ancient buildings here. Some of them are more than 4,000 years old. The oldest building is considered to be a temple with obelisks. It was built in the 20th century BC. Researchers managed to find the necropolis of the kings. It was built around the same period. The amphitheater is a historical monument of a later period. Part of the beautiful Roman Street with columns is also preserved in the city. The most recent historical sites are considered to be the Crusader castle, as well as the Church of St. John. They were built in the 12th century. ... Complete sights collection