Baalbek - History and Facts

Baalbek Facts - Located in Lebanon, this city has been inhabited since 3000 BC. In fact, it was once the largest city in the Near East until it was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Today, Baalbek attracts thousands of visitors each year to its ancient ruins. There are many myths surrounding the history behind the city's construction but nothing can compare to the archaeological discoveries that have been made here over the past century.

Before we explore the secrets of this amazing site, let us first take a look at some of the facts about this location.

Location: This city is located near the Bekaa Valley. It is also known as the City of Monuments due to a large number of buildings and structures that are scattered across the area.

Population: The population of Baalbek is approximately 120,000 people. This makes it the second-largest city in Lebanon after Beirut.

Area: The total area of Baalbek is around 15 square kilometers.

Climate: Baalbek has a Mediterranean climate, like most cities in Lebanon. However, winters tend to be milder than in other areas. Rainfall is also pretty high throughout the year.

Baalbek was founded around 1200 BC as a Phoenician city and was located at the crossroads of trade routes between Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia. At its height, Baalbek covered over 200 acres (80 ha) and was home to approximately 20,000 people. In 65 AD, after years of conflict and destruction, the Roman emperor Nero ordered the temple to be burned down, and a large part of the city was destroyed. By the 4th century, little remained of the ancient city, but it was rediscovered in 1596. Today, Baalbek has been restored into a UNESCO World Heritage Site and still serves as a center for religious pilgrimage. The temple ruins cover about 40 hectares (100 acres), including three separate temples that are built along a central axis, creating a sacred space that is open to the sky.

The temple's façade is decorated with five rows of Ionic columns. The Temple of Jupiter is the largest building on the site, with 30 meters (98 ft) high walls. Much of what we know about Roman architecture comes from this temple. Inside the temple, visitors can view the large, well-preserved bas reliefs depicting battles and gods. One of the bas reliefs depicts a battle scene between Hercules and the Centaur Nessus. The relief dates back to the 1st century and was carved out of limestone.

UNESCO has protected this site since 1979 when it was inscribed in the “List of World Cultural Heritage Sites in Danger”. Since then, many archaeological sites across the Middle East have been destroyed due to war and violence. This site was included on the list as a result of the damage caused by the Israeli bombing campaign against Lebanon in 1982. This site has been studied extensively, and archaeologists continue to discover interesting facts about the history of the region. There are many temples here, including the Temple of Jupiter, dedicated to the Roman God Jupiter; the Great Temple of Baalshamin; the Sanctuary of the Winged Lions; the Temple of Bacchus; the Temple of Venus; the Temple of Apollo; the Temple of Mercury; the Temple of Minerva; the Temple of Hercules; the Palace of King Abgar V; and the Archaic Theatre.