Beit Mery
Encyclopedia
Beit Mery is a Lebanese
town overlooking the capital Beirut
. The town has been a summer mountain resort since the times of the Phoenicians and later the Romans Romans
The name derives from Aramaic and it means "The house of my Lord or Master". On one of the 3 hills of Beit Mery (Southern end of town) along the Lebanon Western mountain range are the ruins of the old Phoenician and Roman temples that were erected in the same general area in what is now known as Deir El-kalaa. At present a Christian church and monastery sit on top of parts of the old Roman temple.
Beit Mery is home to a Lebanese Red Cross First Aid Center.
(Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox) and Druze
.
industries
have been found by Jesuit archaeologists.
Beit Mery I is on the right bank of the Beirut River
, south southwest of the town at an altitude of approximately 125 metres (410.1 ft) above sea level. It was found by Jesuit Father Dillenseger who determined it to be an Acheulean
site. The material was donated to the Saint Joseph University by the French Faculty of Medicine.
Beit Mery II is east of the road from Beit Mery to Deir el Qala'a on a sloping plateau facing the junction of the Nahr Meten and Nahr Jamani. It was found by M. Gautier who recovered Heavy Neolithic
flint tools from the surface. V. Hankey also recovered some retouched blades from this area.
ruins as well as the historic Maronite Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, ( Deir el Kalaa) which was built in 1750. The town, which is only 16 km from Beirut
, continues to be a major summer resort in Lebanon with a famous landmark hotel, the Al Bustan. Lush pine forests surround the town. Restaurants with panoramic views of the valleys and the sea make Beit Mery a favorite summer spot.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
town overlooking the capital Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. The town has been a summer mountain resort since the times of the Phoenicians and later the Romans Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
The name derives from Aramaic and it means "The house of my Lord or Master". On one of the 3 hills of Beit Mery (Southern end of town) along the Lebanon Western mountain range are the ruins of the old Phoenician and Roman temples that were erected in the same general area in what is now known as Deir El-kalaa. At present a Christian church and monastery sit on top of parts of the old Roman temple.
Beit Mery is home to a Lebanese Red Cross First Aid Center.
Culture
In winter, the town is also the scene of an annual cultural festival, the Al Bustan festival, held at the Al Bustan hotel , which features international drama and dance groups as well as orchestras and chamber ensembles.Demography
The residents of Beit Mery are mainly ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
(Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox) and Druze
Druze
The Druze are an esoteric, monotheistic religious community, found primarily in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, which emerged during the 11th century from Ismailism. The Druze have an eclectic set of beliefs that incorporate several elements from Abrahamic religions, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism...
.
Geography
Beit Mery occupies a hill, 750-800 meters above sea level, which gives the picturesque town spectacular views of the Beirut peninsula and part of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast.History
The Roman rulers of Lebanon made Beit Mery their summer resort due to its high location and pleasant summer weather.Archaeology
There are two prehistoric archaeological sites in Beit Meri where flintFlint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
industries
Archaeological industry
An archaeological industry, normally just "industry", is the name given in the study of prehistory to a consistent range of assemblages connected with a single product, such as the Langdale axe industry...
have been found by Jesuit archaeologists.
Beit Mery I is on the right bank of the Beirut River
Beirut River
Beirut River is a river in Lebanon. The river runs east to west, then curves north, separating the city of Beirut from its eastern suburbs, primarily Bourj Hammoud and Sin el Fil. According to popular legend, St...
, south southwest of the town at an altitude of approximately 125 metres (410.1 ft) above sea level. It was found by Jesuit Father Dillenseger who determined it to be an Acheulean
Acheulean
Acheulean is the name given to an archaeological industry of stone tool manufacture associated with early humans during the Lower Palaeolithic era across Africa and much of West Asia, South Asia and Europe. Acheulean tools are typically found with Homo erectus remains...
site. The material was donated to the Saint Joseph University by the French Faculty of Medicine.
Beit Mery II is east of the road from Beit Mery to Deir el Qala'a on a sloping plateau facing the junction of the Nahr Meten and Nahr Jamani. It was found by M. Gautier who recovered Heavy Neolithic
Heavy Neolithic
Heavy Neolithic is a style of large stone and flint tools associated primarily with the Qaraoun culture in the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon, dating to the Epipaleolithic or early Pre-pottery Neolithic at the end of the Stone Age...
flint tools from the surface. V. Hankey also recovered some retouched blades from this area.
Tourism
The town is known for its ancient Roman and ByzantineByzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
ruins as well as the historic Maronite Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, ( Deir el Kalaa) which was built in 1750. The town, which is only 16 km from Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, continues to be a major summer resort in Lebanon with a famous landmark hotel, the Al Bustan. Lush pine forests surround the town. Restaurants with panoramic views of the valleys and the sea make Beit Mery a favorite summer spot.
External links
- http://www.beitmery.com