Baalbek
About Baalbek:Located at a historic trading crossroads, the ancient City of the Sun, Baalbek, stands against time with huge temples that are among the wonders of the ancient world. Baalbek is situated in the eastern part of Lebanon about 85 kilometres from Beirut, where the Beqaa plain lies enclosed by two mountain ranges setting off the monumental proportions of the temples which proclaimed the power and wealth of Imperial Rome.
The Bacchus temple is generally accepted as the undoubted masterpiece and has been extremely well preserved because of the Arab fortifications built around the temple. It is linked to the temple of Jupiter with access by an imposing staircase and a colossal door decorated with nymphs and mythological deities. A short distance away stands another true jewel of Roman architecture, the temple of Venus and in another section is the 8th century Umayyad mosque. Baalback has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. |