We entered Lebanon from the north via the coastal road leading to Tripoli. After nearly three hours of hustle, we finally broke free from the surroundings of the Syrian-Kivan border checkpoints. And here it is, Lebanon — green from the lush spring grass and blue from the sea and skies.
Our first desire was to see the famous Lebanese cedars. Look at the flag of Lebanon, and you will see the cedar, which has become the symbol of the country. What grows in the expanses of Siberia, to be frank, is not a cedar. It is merely a cedar pine. True cedars grow in Lebanon, and the tree is called the Lebanese cedar. In ancient times, it was used in both construction and shipbuilding. It is believed that various pests do not like its wood. Burial chambers and sarcophagi were made from it in Egypt. Cedar was used for the decoration of palaces and cult buildings. The famous Italian Venice was built on piles made from Lebanese cedar. Phoenician sailors sailed the Mediterranean Sea on cedar ships.
Lebanese cedars are among the oldest trees on Earth. Today, groves of these relics have survived only high in the mountains near the snow. There are only six small cedar groves remaining. One of the most famous is located in a place aptly named — Cedars. Amidst the white snows in a gentle hollow on the slopes, the oldest grove of giant cedars stands out as a single green island. The significant distance between the tree trunks does not prevent them from connecting with dense crowns. The cedars are enormous, venerable, and perhaps a bit arrogant. Each of them is over three thousand years old. Can you imagine! Almost the entire history of human civilization has passed before them. These cedars were used to build the finest buildings and palaces of ancient Jerusalem, Persepolis, and Rome. Here, under the vast canopies of the ancient inhabitants of the Earth, you feel the magnitude of something called Time.
This area is a true tourist paradise. Deep vertical canyons, along which fairy-tale cities and churches literally hang, green mountains and nearby snowy peaks, caves and panoramas... all remind one of Switzerland. But this is Lebanon. An Arab country today, distinguished by its extraordinarily religious diversity. Lebanon has a special political system — confessionalism, which implies the organization of state power in accordance with the division of society into religious communities.
Time flew swiftly. The sun was literally racing behind the mountain ridge. The verticals blurred, and the spaces lit up with the lights of countless towns. The mountains transformed into an endless starry sky. We were driving, or rather floating, winding among the shimmering clusters of stars. From time to time, fierce downpours swept in from invisible spaces. And this continued all the way to Beirut, where we arrived mortally tired just before midnight.
In the morning, rain. Sometimes more, sometimes less, with very short intermissions for the sun and rainbows. The weather is not very conducive to city excursions, so we head to the Jeita Grotto. In the underground kingdom of Jeita, the weather is always good, warm, and beautiful. This is a famous attraction in Lebanon. The length of the cave is about nine kilometers. This unique natural creation is located in the southwestern suburb of Beirut in the upper part of the Dog River valley, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea. For tourists, the upper and lower sections of the cave are equipped. The tour begins from the upper part, which is accessed by cable cars.
The natural underground canyon is impressive. It takes your breath away with delight. It feels like entering a mysterious fairy-tale kingdom. The Jeita caves and grottos have been known since the Paleolithic era; however, their rediscovery occurred in 1836 and is attributed to the priest William Thomson — an American missionary who dared to descend into this cave about 50 meters. Later, engineers from the Beirut Water Company, Maxwell and Huxley, along with their friend, priest Daniel Bliss, president of the Syrian Protestant College, organized two expeditions. In 1973 and 1874, they penetrated 1,060 meters into the main grotto but were stopped by the "screams of hell," where the river falls in a swift flow over sharp, razor-like stones.
An artificial path laid along the canyon's edge in the middle section opens up views of both the lower and upper parts of the walls. Gigantic stalactites create unique compositions, and imagination and fantasy discern frozen figures of people, animals, trees, ancient cult symbols, and signs within them. Here is a wise philosopher surrounded by tall columns, bowing his head, pondering the fates of the world. And here a forest beauty-nymph hides behind the trunks of trees and beckons to follow her. Massive milky-white stalactites hang from the ceiling and ledges. From inaccessible heights, the faces of stalagmite gods of an unknown civilization gaze down...
Skillful, well-organized lighting emphasizes the volumes of the cavity, revealing the most secluded and interesting forms of the interior. Unlike other tourist caves, Jeita benefits from the absence of the usual guided tours and guides with their sometimes inappropriate instructions — look to the right, look to the left... Here, visitors stroll freely along paths hanging over the abyss, experiencing true enjoyment from personal solitude with the unusual beauty of nature, contemplating the beautiful creations of Pluto. By the way, the organizers of this underground tour did not forget about him. The god of the underground kingdom, dressed in cave formations, invites tourists to visit the underworld. This original monument is installed on one of the platforms of the complex, between the lower and upper entrances to the cave.
On a funny little train, tourists are transported to the foot of the valley, to the mouth of the underground river, and through an artificial tunnel approach the underground dock. From here, the journey continues upstream on a flat-bottomed motorboat with a silent engine. Enormous halls, adorned with white-pink formations, sculptures, and draperies, float by like fairy-tale visions.
Unfortunately, photography in the cave is strictly prohibited. Cameras and camcorders are checked in for safekeeping. In exchange, postcards, slides, interactive discs, and DVDs are offered. It must be said that the proposed assortment is of terrible quality and does not convey the impressions one experiences while in the cave.
Beirut is considered one of the oldest cities in the world and one of the important historical centers of the Middle East. Archaeological excavations and historical documents indicate that it has been the center of one of the oldest civilizations for many years. The first people settled here during the Paleolithic era. This is evidenced by the results of excavations conducted in the city center. Berit, Berytus, Laodicea of Canaan... — this is far from a complete list of names that the city has borne throughout its history. In its time as a Phoenician city, it received a name that, despite various degrees of distortion, it has almost always carried — Berytus. In Phoenician, this word means "springs." The city of springs, a city with abundant water.
As a result of the Arab conquests of Lebanon and Syria, Beirut became an Arab-Muslim city and subsequently experienced many rulers. At different times, Lebanon was part of the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates, was under the rule of the Fatimid and Ayyubid dynasties, and later became part of the Ottoman Empire.
From 1918 to 1946, this territory was under French rule.
Unfortunately, almost no architectural monuments from past civilizations remain in Beirut. But something light and elusive has survived in the atmosphere of this city. Today, it is a vast metropolis stretching for many kilometers along the Mediterranean coast.
One of the most popular and beloved areas for the residents of Beirut is Jounieh. At one time, many businessmen moved here, with whose participation a large number of cafes, restaurants, shops, and business centers grew. Since then, Jounieh has become a recognized entertainment center of Lebanon. One of its main attractions is the fifteen-ton statue of the Virgin Mary, installed on a high promontory, brought to Lebanon from France in the late 20th century. The Lebanese call this statue Harisa, meaning "the Guardian." Cast in bronze and covered with white paint, it stands on a high pedestal, which can be ascended by a special spiral staircase.
The strong wind and drizzling rain did not allow for capturing the beauty of Beirut from here. So we had to settle for a wet and blurry panorama.
Within the current borders of Beirut lies another attraction — the remains of the ancient city of Byblos with the Donjon fortress. This small promontory has been inhabited by people since at least the 7th century BC. Since then, the inhabitants have never left it. The main structures, the remnants of which have survived to this day, were erected by the Phoenicians. These are the foundations of residential houses, a necropolis, and city walls. The Greeks and Romans built an amphitheater, a nymphaeum, and columns. A large number of objects from this period were used by the Crusaders, Arabs, and Turks to construct their buildings, including the existing fortress.
In the morning, Beirut opened up in the piercing colors of the rising sun. The beautiful city climbed into the mountains with terraces under the foliage of dense forests. For a while, we walked along the waterfront. The waves, like yesterday, were raging, leaping onto the shore.
Beirut is a topic for separate books and studies. The history of this city cannot be outlined in an article, especially since the main reason we came to Lebanon is not Beirut at all, but the majestic city of the Sun — Baalbek, the ancient Greek Heliopolis, a city of mysteries and enigmas.
Crossing over the Lebanese mountains, we descend along the Damascus highway. But we are not heading to Damascus; we are going to the ancient city of Baalbek, located in the center of the fertile Bekaa Valley, 95 kilometers from Beirut.
The Baalbek complex consists of three temples: of the Sun (or Jupiter), Bacchus — the god of wine, and Venus — the goddess of love. These are the three components that the Romans, as well as the Greeks, considered to be among the main values in the lives of the palace elite.
From the once elegant temple of Venus, unfortunately, almost nothing remains today. In Byzantine times, it was transformed into the temple of St. Barbara, who, according to legend, was killed by her own father here as punishment for accepting Christianity. The murderer did not go unpunished: a lightning bolt descended from the heavens, burning him to ashes. To this day, Saint Barbara is the patroness of that part of the population of Baalbek that professes Christianity.
The most significant and majestic ruins are those of the great temple of Jupiter, built during the Roman period under Antoninus Pius. It was a rectangular structure erected on the main axis of the entire complex. The foundation of the temple was 91 meters long and 52 meters wide, and over 50 columns, each 2 meters in diameter and 20 meters high, stood around its perimeter. Six of them still stand in a row on the southern side, creating a visual representation of the proportions of the temple, which has been destroyed by time and wars. The earthquake of 1759 completed the destruction.
A massive staircase leads to the colonnade of the main entrance, which we climbed to reach the spacious hexagonal courtyard. Next was the courtyard of the acropolis. It was closed by the temple of Jupiter, which stands on a gigantic platform of slabs. Everything we see are merely the remnants of the temple and two large courtyards surrounded by a colonnaded gallery with a magnificent portico at the entrance.
In its heyday, the temple of Jupiter, the adjacent temple of Bacchus, and the round elegant temple of Venus gathered thousands of worshippers for their festivals. Roman emperors came here to offer sacrifices to their gods and to consult the oracle about the fates of the empire. Famous Bacchanalias were held here, where a person sought to attain heavenly bliss even while still alive.
The columns are topped with capitals and friezes up to five meters high. They depict the heads of lions, bulls, and plants. Some friezes, which glowed from the columns during earthquakes, are piled at the foot of the temple of Jupiter, and they can be well viewed up close. The columns themselves reflect the style of Roman architecture, but their lavish decorations and the grand size of the columns indicate that the classical forms of Roman architecture intersected here with elements of a more ancient architecture, characterized by significantly greater pomp and embellishment.
The main temple of Jupiter rises on a grand stone platform, in the base of which, at a height of 8 meters, lie stone monoliths (trilithons). They form a visible row of wall masonry. Each of these incredibly huge stones measures 21 meters in length, 5 meters in height, and 4 meters in width. They weigh 800 tons each.
The enormous scale of the trilithon can be judged by the size of a slightly larger block known as the Southern Stone — it lies nearby in the quarry. The dimensions of this stone block are 23 meters in length, 5.3 meters in width, and 4.5 meters in height, weighing over 1,000 tons.
When approaching these great ruins, the heart stops. From afar, they rise like giants above the surrounding fields, although they are built on the same plain. This feeling is achieved due to the stone pedestal under the buildings. Moreover, this is not just a pedestal, but a multi-tiered pyramid pressed to the ground. At first glance, it is evident that this pedestal was made to elevate the temples above the surrounding valley. However, the blocks appeared here long before the Greeks arrived in these places.
Baalbek was once one of the sacred places on Earth, and its temples were among the wonders of the ancient world. A nearly mystical history is associated with this city. When it was "rediscovered" by archaeologists, many concluded that it was the result of construction by extraterrestrial civilizations that explored the Solar System in ancient times. It was hard to believe that the enormous blocks of the Baalbek terrace were the result of human labor alone without the use of any high-tech mechanisms.
Most sources believe that Baalbek was conceived and built by the Romans as the largest temple complex of the empire. However, this assertion can be questioned. The Baalbek pedestal, on which the Greeks and Romans built their temples, in my firm belief, is a separate structure. Its purpose remains unclear. Or perhaps it is just part of an unrealized project for some reason. The existing tunnels, which house the current museum, suggest that beneath the massive blocks of stone trilithons, there may be a network of mysterious caves and labyrinths — likely repositories of ancient knowledge and information about unknown periods of human civilization development according to modern historical science.
Who could have built such a gigantic stone foundation? And for what purpose? Several possible answers are provided by T. Zakharova on Geliopolis.ru.
Historian M. Elauf writes that the Egyptian temple in Baal-Ghad (the ancient name of Baalbek) was built by Egyptian priests not from scratch, but merely restored by them after the earthquake during the conquest of Syria by Egypt. It was also stated by the Roman writer Macrobius (5th century AD) that the statue of the god Osiris in Baalbek resembled the Egyptian god Osiris, which was transported by sea from Egypt. The gigantic Baalbek stone blocks are akin to megalithic structures and heavy forms of ancient Egyptian architecture, which is atypical for the Roman period of construction.
The Arabs believed that Baalbek belonged to the mythical Nimrod, who once ruled this part of Lebanon. In one Arabic manuscript found in Baalbek, it is said that Nimrod sent giants to restore Baalbek after the flood.
The Baalbek miracle arose in the place where, as early as the 1st millennium BC, there existed a Phoenician sanctuary of the god Baal. With the arrival of Alexander the Great in the Middle East, the Greeks equated Baal with their sun god Helios. The city became known as Heliopolis. With the annexation to the Roman Empire, Heliopolis became the center of Roman power in the Bekaa Valley. Almost immediately after the arrival of the Romans, the construction of the grand temple of Jupiter began. The Roman authorities sent the best architects working throughout the empire here, and the most experienced builders were chosen to erect an unprecedented sanctuary in honor of Jupiter, Bacchus, and Venus.
The advent of Christianity marked the decline of Heliopolis. The city continued to exist, but new priests rebuilt it in favor of new gods. Under Justinian, part of the gigantic granite columns of the temple of Jupiter were transported to Constantinople and installed in the Hagia Sophia. In the 7th century, Heliopolis was captured by the Arabs, who returned the city to its Semitic name Baalbek. They turned the temple complex into a fortress. The gigantic structure withstood the assaults of the Seljuks, the siege of the Crusaders, and the devastating invasions of the Mongols and Tamerlane. With the arrival of the Ottomans, Baalbek found itself in a remote province. In 1751, it was rediscovered by English archaeologists. During the French mandate, archaeological work was carried out by the French, and after Lebanon gained independence, the care of the monument was taken over by the Lebanese Department of Antiquities.
South of the temple of Jupiter, the temple of Bacchus was built. The most elegant, preserved in fairly good condition to this day, it is considered one of the most beautiful monuments of the Roman era. In area, the temple of Bacchus is larger than the Parthenon. The surrounding columns are 17 meters high. There are 15 columns on each side and eight on the ends. On the northern side, nine of them have survived and stand in their original order. A beautifully decorated portal leads to the cella — the closed inner room of the temple, which is 27 meters long and 23 meters wide. The interior of the temple is also richly adorned. At its western end once stood the cult statue of Bacchus; today, only the pedestal and the ceiling's hemispherical dome remain. It is not hard to imagine how beautiful this temple was during the heyday of ancient Heliopolis. A row of massive columns, on which a carved stone ceiling rests, encircles the outer walls of the temple. Its decoration features images of various plants, animals, deities, and figures of merry people.
Bacchus in mythology
Still quite young, Bacchus was appointed the god of wine and merriment and was entrusted to the care of Silenus — a half-man, half-goat who took care of his education and accompanied him on all his travels. Bacchus was worshipped in all the countries of the ancient world, and numerous festivities were held in his honor. The most famous were the great and small Dionysia, Liberalia, and Bacchanalia, where all participants indulged in unrestrained and unbridled merriment. (Sources: "Concise Dictionary of Mythology and Antiquities" by M. Korsh. (St. Petersburg, published by S. Suvorin, 1894), "Myths of the Peoples of the World").
Here is what I found about Bacchus-Dionysus in the book "Myths of Ancient Greece": "With a merry throng of wreath-adorned maenads and satyrs, Dionysus roams the world, from country to country. He walks ahead in a crown of grapes, holding a thyrsus adorned with ivy. To the sounds of flutes, pipes, and timbrels, the noisy procession joyfully moves through the mountains, among shady forests, and across green meadows. Joyfully walks Dionysus on the earth, conquering all with his power. He teaches people to cultivate grapes and make wine from its heavy ripe clusters."
I do not know how historians explain the appearance of such a beautiful temple of Bacchus — the god of wine and merriment — precisely here. But I think the answer is evident. The surrounding spaces of the Bekaa Valley, located at an altitude of just over one kilometer, have exceptional conditions. Favorable soil, plenty of sunshine. A rainy winter (up to 500 mm of precipitation during the winter season), a long, even summer with an average temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius provide favorable conditions for grapes to ripen fully. Naturally, the lands that nature itself endowed with such fertile soils and a mild climate could not be wasted for winemaking. Since ancient times, the locals have grown the best wine grape varieties in these places.
The blessed land of Lebanon, known in ancient times as Phoenicia, is rightly considered the most likely birthplace of wine. It is likely that it was here that humanity made one of its greatest and most pleasant discoveries over six thousand years ago. In fact, the very word "wine" ("oinos" in Greek and "vinum" in Latin) is believed to have originated from the Phoenician "yayin." In the ancient world, Phoenician wine was considered the best and was the most desired commodity for the Egyptian, Greek, and later Roman nobility. It is no coincidence that in Baalbek, the Roman outpost in the Bekaa Valley, next to the majestic temple of Jupiter, the Romans built a grand temple of Bacchus. The unparalleled reputation of Phoenician wines can even be judged by a saying in the Bible: "Those who sit under his shadow will return, they will abound in grain, and they will blossom like the vine, they will be glorious like Lebanese wine." The Phoenicians (mainly from Tyre), the most skilled sailors of antiquity, reached the Pillars of Melkart (Hercules) — the westernmost point of the Mediterranean, while founding Carthage in North Africa. It was the Carthaginians who continued the colonization of the Iberian Peninsula. One can be sure that among the main innovations they brought into the daily life of the ancient Iberians were viticulture and winemaking. The Phoenicians introduced grapes and winemaking to the ancient Greeks, who then passed this unique relay to the inhabitants of the Apennines and their western neighbors on the continent. Thus, through the mediation of the Greeks, the invention of the Phoenicians, the ancestors of modern Lebanese, penetrated and took root in the homeland of their current mentors.
Today's Lebanese winemakers are worthy heirs of their Phoenician counterparts. One of the most famous Lebanese wines, "Chateau Musar," is the family creation of Gaston Hochar, which has brought the Hochar family worldwide fame.
It is impossible not to note the circumstances that favored the development of Lebanese winemaking. First, Christians make up about half of Lebanon's population — a unique phenomenon for Arab countries. Secondly, the penetration of advanced viticulture and winemaking technologies into the country occurred during the second quarter of the last century during the French presence. Partly for this reason, almost all leading wineries in Lebanon currently employ French winemakers in key positions.
If we think in this direction, then the temple of Venus in Baalbek also appeared here not by chance. Lebanon is not only about wine but also about the most beautiful girls in the world. This is what everyone who has ever been to Lebanon believes. I also join this opinion, and to prove it, I will give an example. In twenty-two Arab countries, almost all television channels — and there are more than three thousand of them — have Lebanese women as hosts of the most popular programs.
Beirut welcomed us with the last rays of the setting sun. The rains had stopped. The neighborhoods lit up with constellations, and the night spread a veil of gentle sadness. Finding a beautiful restaurant on the Beirut waterfront, we occupied the last table, hovering over the very shore. There were two reasons to celebrate: the end of our journey through the Middle East and the birthday of Zakira — a participant in our journey. We drank excellent Lebanese wine. Under the patronage of Bacchus, beautiful words and wishes were born. Charming Lebanese women at the neighboring table smoked hookah, and the waves of the sea occasionally peeked through our windows.
Early in the morning on February 24, an Airbus from Istanbul to Bishkek brought us back to our hometown. Outside, a frosty winter night prevailed. Dry, fresh snow sparkled with snowflakes, decorating the pyramids of fir trees, scattering in fright from the glowing headlights. The car sped down the deserted highway, lifting the snowflakes that covered the asphalt. They shimmered, hanging in a horizontal line, swirling in a white blanket, emphasizing the contrast and infinity of time.