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Lebanon

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Bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon might call to mind sunny beaches and historic port cities like Sidon and Tyre. However, the country is also home to towering, snowy mountains and ski resorts. In fact, the name Lebanon is derived from the Semitic word lbn, which means "white" in reference to either the snow-covered mountains or limestone cliffs. This satellite image highlights the country's two mountain ranges, Jebel Liban and Jabal ash Sharqim, covered in fresh snow. (Jebel or jabal mean "mountain" in Arabic.) Snow is not unusual in Lebanon, where ski resorts are open about three months of the year. Photo courtesy of NASA.
Beirut, Lebanon's capital, is built on a small peninsula; the growth of the city eastwards is bounded by foothills of the more mountainous interior of Lebanon (upper right). Beirut has been an urban center for more than 5,000 years. Throughout much of that time, the city has been the focus of both military and economic conflicts among neighboring city-states. Distinctive features visible in this astronaut photograph include the Rafic Hariri International Airport in the lower right, the city sports arena at image center, and several areas of green and open space, including a large golf course at image center. Also visible in the photo are several plumes of sediment along the coastline; the most striking plumes are near the airport. The general lack of vegetation in the airport may allow more soil transport by surface water runoff or wind. Photo courtesy of NASA.
The Bekaa Valley is a fertile farming region in eastern Lebanon. This view of the valley is looking east toward Syria.
Pigeon Rocks are two iconic sea stacks just offshore from Raouche, a residential and commercial neighborhood outside in Beirut. The rocks are both approximately 60 m (196 ft) high rising out of the Mediterranean Sea. Their layers (striations) were laid down millions of years ago in an ancient sea.
The Martyr’s Monument, located in Martyr’s Square in downtown Beirut, honors the 6 May 1916 hanging of a cross-confessional group of Lebanese patriots who spoke against the Turkish rule of Ottoman General Jamal Pasha. Dedicated in 1960, the four-meter-high (13 ft) statue of the Martyrs was dismantled in 1996 due to damage sustained during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-90); it was restored with the marks of war damage intentionally preserved.
The ruins of the coastal town of Byblos, 40 km (24 mi) north of Beirut, reflect the many civilizations that occupied the site since it was first settled by fishermen 8,000 years ago. Byblos was one of the oldest cities in Phoenicia (the ancient designation of Lebanon) and its site includes Bronze Age temples, Byzantine churches, a Crusader citadel, and structures from Medieval and Ottoman times. Byblos played a role in the diffusion of the Phoenician alphabet, which was the precursor to many of the world’s major alphabets. UNESCO designated Byblos a World Heritage site in 1984.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon is a Marian shrine and a pilgrimage site in Harissa, Lebanon. Erected in 1907 and dedicated in 1908, the 11.7 metric ton (13 ton) bronze statue painted white stands 8.5 m (27 ft) tall and stretches her hands towards nearby Beirut. The statue’s stone pedestal is nearly 20 m high (66 ft) and encases the Our Lady of the Light Chapel. Our Lady of Lebanon is one of the most important shrines in the world honoring Mary, Mother of Jesus.
Located in Baalbek in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, the Temple of Jupiter, the largest Roman temple in the world, is part of the Baalbek temple complex that also includes the Temple of Bacchus. The complex became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Details of the temple's construction - who commissioned or designed it, or exactly when it was constructed - are unknown. Work probably began around 16 B.C. and was nearly complete by about A.D. 60.
Located in Baalbek in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, the Temple of Baachus is part of the Baalbek temple complex that also includes the Temple of Jupiter. While the Temple of Baachus is slightly smaller than the Temple of Jupiter, it is one of the best preserved and grandest of the Roman temple ruins. Baalbek became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Details of the temple’s construction - who commissioned or designed it, or exactly when it was constructed - are unknown. Work likely began around 16 B.C. and was nearly complete by about A.D. 60. This is a view from inside the temple.
A view of Beirut, the capital, chief port, and largest city of Lebanon at sunset. Inhabited for more than 5,000 years, Beirut was one of the largest city-states in Phoenicia (the ancient name for Lebanon), making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Beirut’s name is derived from the Canaanite or Phoenician word "ber'ot," meaning "the wells" or "fountain," which referred to the site's accessible water table.
A rainbow graces the skyline of Kaslik, a town in the Keserwan District of the Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate. The town is a blend of old and new with many 18th-century limestone houses and historic churches existing alongside factories and industrial plants. Kaslik is also home to fishing and leisure ports, as well as resorts, hotels, beaches, and a shopping area.
A view of the Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve on the western slopes of Mount Lebanon overlooking the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Jabal Moussa, a site where history and nature exist side by side, became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2009. The biosphere hosts such historical treasures as rock carvings by the Emperor Hadrian dating back to the 2nd century A.D.; an Ottoman settlement with a water mill, farms, and an olive press; and a Byzantine Church that includes a mosaic. The area is home to as many as 727 flora species (26 are endemic to Lebanon), more than 137 migratory and soaring bird species, and rare and threatened mammals.
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