Beiteddine
About Beiteddine:
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Beiteddine (House of Faith) is the name of both the village and the magnificent palace complex that lies within.
Work began on the palace in 1788 but wasn’t completed for thirty years, during which time Emir Bashir, the Ottoman-appointed governor, oversaw the building of a monument that would reflect the power and glory of his reign. Visitors to Beiteddine have to be grateful for the Ottoman’s streak of egomania. The result is one of the finest remaining examples of 19th-century Lebanese architecture. Its grand dimensions encompass three main courtyards, huge vaulted stables, small museums, guest apartments, water fountains, marble portals and marquetry, and luxuriously decorated and domed hammams (bathhouses). |
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