Roman Temples

Békaa Valley
of the

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Archaeological Promenade

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Roman Temples of the Békaa Valley
´É≤ÑdG π¡°S »a á«fÉehQ óHÉ©e
Tripoli

Zghorta
Enfeh Balamand

Kousba
Ras el-Shekka Tourza The Ehden
Qadisha
Becharre
Musailha Valley The Cedars
Batroun Hadet Hasroun Labweh
Ras Baalbeck
Nabha
Deir el Ahmar
Yammoune

Qasr el-Banat

Nahle
Jbeil Iaat
Hadath

Baalbeck
Qsarnaba
Jounieh
Temnine
Hosn Niha
Niha
Bikfaya Khonchara Nebi Ham
Fourzol Sarain
BEIRUT Dhour Shoueir
Broumana
Dora Zahle Rayak
Beit Mery
Baabda Hamana Shtaura
Sofar Tanail Kfar Zabad
Aley Dahr el-Baidar
Bhamdoun Ain el-Bayda
Anjar
Majdel Anjar
Roman Temples
Deir el-Qamar Dakwe presented in this
Meshref Beiteddine Mdoukha
Qasr el-Wadi brochure
Moukhtara Helwa
Qalaat Bakka Yanta
el-Amoud Khirbet el-Knisse
Qaraoun Deir el
Lake Aachayer
Houash
Kfarqouq
Eshmoun Hfoufa
Sidon Temple Jezzine Nebi Safa
Aiha
Libbaya Aqbeh

Ain Harsha

Marjayoun
Hebbariye

Beaufort
Castle

Tyre Roads
(Sour)
Other Towns / Sites

Roman Temples presented

Qana in this brochure
Roman Temple Sites in the Békaa

2km 10km 20km

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Temples
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Békaa Valley
of the

The fertile Békaa Valley stretches between the Mount

Lebanon chain to the west and the Anti-Lebanon mountains Tripoli

Zghorta
to the east. Throughout history, the valley has been a major Enfeh Balamand

crossroad between northern Syria and Palestine, and between

Kousba
Ras el-Shekka Tourza The Ehden
Qadisha
Becharre
Valley The Cedars
the Mediterranean coast and the interior. This favorable
Musailha
Batroun Hadet Hasroun Labweh
Ras Baalbeck

geographic situation has encouraged human settlement in Nabha

Deir el Ahmar
Yammoune

the valley since ancient times. Today, the cities and villages Qasr el-Banat

of the Békaa still preserve the remains of the people who Jbeil
Hadath
Iaat
Nahle

lived there centuries ago. Roman temples, Islamic structures, Jounieh

Qsarnaba
Baalbeck

Temnine
and archaeological sites dating from many different historical Hosn Niha
Niha
Nebi Ham
periods transform the valley into a virtual “open-air museum.”
Bikfaya Khonchara
Fourzol Sarain
BEIRUT Dhour Shoueir
Broumana
Dora Zahle Rayak
Beit Mery
Baabda Hamana Shtaura
Sofar Tanail Kfar Zabad
Aley Dahr el-Baidar
Bhamdoun Ain el-Bayda
Anjar
Majdel Anjar
Roman Temples
Deir el-Qamar Dakwe presented in this
Meshref Beiteddine Mdoukha
Qasr el-Wadi brochure
Moukhtara Helwa
Qalaat Bakka Yanta
el-Amoud Khirbet el-Knisse
Qaraoun Deir el
Lake Aachayer
Houash
Kfarqouq
Eshmoun Hfoufa
Sidon Temple Jezzine Nebi Safa
Aiha
Libbaya Aqbeh

Ain Harsha

Marjayoun
Hebbariye

Beaufort
Castle

Tyre Roads
(Sour)
Other Towns / Sites

Roman Temples presented

Qana in this brochure
Roman Temple Sites in the Békaa

2km 10km 20km

 History of the Békaa Valley
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History of the Békaa Valley ïjQÉàdG »a ´É≤ÑdG

Greek and Roman travelers frequently crossed the Békaa
Valley and knew it very well. However, they believed that the
valley ran from east to west, instead of north to south, as it
really is situated. As a result, the Greeks and Romans believed
that both Lebanese mountain chains ran perpendicular to the
Mediterranean coastline. This belief continued until the days of
the Arab geographer Al-Idrissi, during the 12th century.
The belief that the Békaa Valley ran from east to west had
significant political repercussions. After his victory in 31 B.C.
over Marc Anthony and Cleopatra, the Roman general Octavius,
who became the Emperor Augustus and the founder of the
Roman Empire, founded the colony of Beirut. He annexed to
this colony all the lands of the Békaa Valley “until the sources
of the Orontes River.” This action would not have been possible
if the Roman administration was not sure that the Békaa Valley
was situated perpendicular to the coastline, thus forming the
inland space of the new colony.
Baalbeck was the largest construction project Emperor Augustus
and his successors ever attempted in the region. Baalbeck
became an important cultic and pilgrimage site, in addition to
an essential meeting point for all the caravans crossing the
Békaa Valley from the interior to the south (Palestine) or to the
Mediterranean coast. Consequently, Baalbeck and the Békaa
Valley were transformed into a center for the dissemination of
Roman civilization and the demonstration of Roman power to
the inhabitants of the region.
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iver
R
Tripoli
As a result, the villages and towns of the Békaa began to build

ntes
Theouprosopone

Oro
Roman-style temples dedicated to their own local gods. This Mount Lebanon

The
Arab Mountains
explains the great number of temples spread throughout the
The Mediterranean Sea

Byblos
Baalbeck
valley.
Jordan River Bu
Dog River rda
Riv
Beirut er
It would be impossible to describe all the Roman temples
of the Békaa Valley. This brochure will focus on five of the Sidon
Anti Lebanon Mountain Arab Mountains Damascus

most significant sites: Fourzol, Niha, Hosn Niha, Temnine El-

Faouqa, and Qsarnaba. Please consult the separate brochure,
Archaeological Promenade – Baalbeck, for extensive information
on the Baalbeck temples.
 Fourzol
∫RôØdG
Fourzol
The town of Fourzol is situated 6km northeast of Zahlé in the
eastern foothills of the Mount Lebanon chain. Fourzol was a
famous Episcopal see during the 5th century A.D., and today
the Orthodox bishops of Zahlé are called the “Metropolitan of
Fourzol.”
Roman Temple of Apollo
In the center of Fourzol are the remains of a Roman temple built
according to the Corinthian style. This temple was apparently
dedicated to the god Apollo. It had a monumental stairway
leading to a portico with two antae (walls), followed by a cella,
or central space, and then an adytum, or Holy of Holies, where
the statue of the god was located. Due to the current bad state
of the ruins, it is very difficult to recognize the original shape
of the temple and the exact location of the altar that would
typically have been built in front of the temple.
Caves
One and a half kilometers from Fourzol, in the area known as
Wadi el-Habis (“the valley of the hermit”) or Moghr el-Habis (“the
caves of the Hermit”), a high cliff surrounding the valley holds
a number of caves. These caves were inhabited by a number of
hermits during the early-Christian and Byzantine periods. The
tradition of inhabited caves in the Lebanese mountains dates
back to the fourth millennium B.C. and continued until the
medieval period. All of these caves were also used at some
point for cultic and funerary practices.
Several of the caves have small vats in the center, which were
used to collect water. On the left side of the cliff, you can see
a niche holding a stele, or a large stone slab, symbolizing a
shapeless idol carved according to the local traditions. On the
lower level of the right side of the cliff, a platform was carved
in the rock, leading up four steps into a carved room. Only one
of the caves is accessible to visitors; the rest must be viewed
from below.
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Fourzol - Roman Temple of Apollo
Private Houses
1km towards
the caves Portico
Cella
Adytum
Private Houses
Towards
Beirut 10m 50m 100m
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 Fourzol
∫RôØdG
Carved Palm Tree
About 20 minutes walk along the dirt road from the caves of
Wadi el-Habis you will reach a carved rock face depicting a palm
tree. To the left of the tree is an image of a young “knight god,”
with a halo around his head, holding the reins of his horse with
his right hand and a sphere or disc with his left hand. To the
right of the palm tree is an image of a naked person (possibly a
genie), holding a palm leaf in his right hand and a small sheep
with a sheaf of corn in his left hand. This image represents
a solar god overlooking the regeneration and fertility of the
universe, including its fauna and flora. These images were
probably carved during the Roman era.
Several Roman-era quarries can also be seen in the surrounding
landscape. The quarries look like large rocks with flattened
faces, and some are shaped like a large stairway, as a result of
the stones being cut from them.
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 Niha
Éë«f

Niha
The small village of Niha is located 17km north of Chtaura, to
the left of the road that runs from the city of Zahlé, through the
town of Ablah, to Baalbeck.
Niha is home to two of the most beautiful Roman temples in
the Békaa Valley. The temples were built perpendicular to each
other, with their entrances facing a central place that could have
held an important structure (which is now completely gone).
The Niha temples were built according to the classical Roman
architectural tradition, which is evident in the temples spread
throughout Lebanon.
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.¿ÉæÑd »a á«q fÉehôdG óHÉ©ªdG ™«ªL ¬H RÉàªJ …òdG

1– The Small Temple

Niha Complex
Adytum

Towards
10m 50m 100m Hosn
The Small Temple was the first temple to be built on this site Cella

1
Niha

during the first century A.D. Situated on the left side of the Niha Portico

River, this temple was dedicated to the Syro-Phoenician god

Niha River
Hadaranes and the goddess Atargatis. Hadaranes is the local
name of Hadad, the god of thunder, lightning, and rain. Atargatis
is the cosmic goddess of fertility.
Adytum
Cella
Portico
2

It is believed that the rituals in this temple were related to water,

Niha River
because a small water channel runs through the podium of the Towards
temple. Water used to seep out from the rocks surrounding the Beirut

temple, then ran directly into the channel and into the interior of
the temple, for use in purification ceremonies. 3

The Site
Beginning of the visit Path 1 The Small Temple
Parking 2 The Great Temple
Visit path 3 Prophet Elias Church

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.É¡H ∑ôq ÑàdG øe êÉéëdGh
q
 Niha
Éë«f
The entrance of the temple faces south; it consists of a
stairway leading to a portico with four columns with Ionic-style
capitals. The cella, or inner space of the temple, is accessed
through three doors at the top of the stairway, and the adytum
is accessed by a stairway of nine steps at the end of the cella.
The statue of the god or goddess was located inside the adytum
and was usually not accessible to the public. In addition to the
water channel running through and around the podium, there
is also a smaller water channel that runs from the base of the
statue of the god or goddess in the adytum down to the center
of the cella.
In the remains of this temple, archaeologists discovered a stone
with an inscription mentioning a “virgin prophetess” named
Hochmea. Hochmea was the priestess of the god Hadaranes
and the goddess Atargatis; she dedicated herself to those two
gods and cut herself off from the world. The stone inscription
says: “According to an order from the god, she stopped eating
Niha Complex
bread for 20 years” and “lived for 100 years.” This stone was
removed by archaeologists and is no longer located at the
temple site. 10m 50m
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Adytum
Towards
100m Hosn
Niha
Cella

The Small Temple of Niha was apparently used for the public 1
cult, which allowed everyone to participate in purification rituals
using the holy water running through temple. The nearby Great Portico

Temple (2) was apparently used for a mysterious cult that

spread during the 2nd century A.D., similar to the cult practiced

Niha River
at the Bacchus Temple in Baalbeck.

Adytum
Cella
Portico
2
Niha River

Towards
Beirut

The Site
Beginning of the visit Path 1 The Small Temple
Parking 2 The Great Temple
Visit path 3 Prophet Elias Church
 Niha
Éë«f
2– The Great Temple
Built on the right side of the Niha River during the 2nd and 3rd
centuries A.D., the Great Temple was also dedicated to the god
Hadaranes and the goddess Atargatis. In addition to these two
gods, the temple was apparently also dedicated to a young god
who played the role of their son. Like the small temple, the
Great Temple was used for rituals related to the water that used
to seep out of the surrounding rocks.
The entrance of the temple faces the east; it is built over a large
podium and accessed through a three-part stairway leading to
a portico with four columns with Corinthian-style capitals. To the
left side of the stairway, a carved relief depicts a priest with two
icons on his chest, representing a god and a goddess. He is
wearing a hat with a crescent carved on it, and he holds a floral
water sprinkler in his left hand and a cup in his right hand, which
pours holy water onto a small altar.
The lintel of the gigantic temple door has an eagle with spread
wings carved on it. This eagle is similar to the one carved on
the lintel of the Bacchus Temple in Baalbeck. However, the
Niha carving is slightly different, because the eagle holds a
floral crown in one of its talons and a palm leaf in the other. To
the right side of the lintel, a carved relief represents a winged
naked boy holding a palm leaf in his left hand. Next to the boy
is a carving of a winged goddess of victory holding a palm leaf
in her left hand and a crown in her right hand, raising the crown
ô«ÑµdG óÑ©ªdG -2
Niha Complex
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.¬gÉ«ªH
Niha River
Adytum
Cella
Portico
2
Niha River
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≈àak πãq ªj Beginning
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of the visit Path 1
æq ée ô°üf áo Hq Q ¬ÑfÉL ≈dEGh iô°ù«o dG √ó«H π«îf ø°üZ πªëj Ék ëæq ée Ék jQÉYThe
∂°ùªJ áëParking 2 Great Temple
Prophet Elias Church
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Visit path 3
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 Niha
Éë«f
towards the head of the boy. The left side of the lintel has a
carved relief representing the same goddess of victory with the
same items in her hands. The carvings appear to be linked to
the mysterious rituals that were performed inside the temple.
These rituals were related to the issues of birth, growth, death,
and the hope of an afterlife.
The inside of the temple consists of two parts: the cella, where
the people used to gather, and the elevated adytum, which was
accessed by a stairway. The adytum used to hold the statue
of the god or goddess. Under the elevated adytum is a crypt,
which held the items used during the ceremonies and rituals of
the temple. The doorway leading to the crypt is decorated with
a carved relief representing a priest pouring holy water over an
altar. Next to him, a woman holds an undefined object in her
right hand. To the left, the relief represents a winged boy riding
over a sheep or a bull.
The Small Temple of Niha (1) is oriented north-south, while the
Great Temple (2) is oriented east-west. During the excavations of
the site, an oratory was discovered in front of the Small Temple.
The oratory had an altar representing the goddess of Niha,
Niha Complex
surrounded by a number of steles sculpted in the local style
(not Roman style). The reason for the perpendicular orientation
of the two temples is the presence of this oratory, which was
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.¥ô°ûdG √ÉéJÉH ô«ÑµdG óÑ©ªdG á¡LGh
Adytum

situated in front of the Small Temple, and which was used as a Towards
10m
base for the orientation of the50m 100m
Great Temple. Hosn
Niha
Cella

3– The Church of the Prophet Elias

1

Portico

The Church of the Prophet

Elias, probably built in the
Niha River

19th century, is located

a few meters south of
the oratory. Traditionally,
Adytum whenever a church was
Cella
constructed on the site of
Portico
2
:É«dG »ÑædG á°ù«æc -3
a temple dedicated to the
local goddess of thunder, ™bƒe øe ܃æédG ≈dEG QÉàeCG ó©Ho ≈∏Y
lightning, and rain, that º°SG ≈∏Y á°ù«æc Ωƒ≤J QƒcòªdG ≈∏q °üªo dG
church would be dedicated ,Ωɪàg’ÉH ôjóL ôeCG ƒgh .É«q ∏jEG »ÑædG
Niha River

to the Prophet Elias or to ≥∏£J âfÉc áªjó≤dG ó«dÉ≤àdG ¿CG QÉÑàYÉH

Saint George (both known
Towards
»ÑædG º°SG hCG ¢Sƒ«LQhÉL ¢ùjqó≤dG º°SG
as “el-Khodr” in the Islamic Beirut ó«dÉ≤àdG »a ô°†îdÉH ø«ahô©ªdG ,É«q ∏jEG
tradition). »a áeÉ≤ªdG ¢ùFÉæµdG ≈∏Y ,á«q eÓ°SE’G
á¡dBG IOÉÑ©d á°Sôq µªdG óHÉ©ªdG ™bGƒe
âÑãjo ɪq e ,QÉ£eC’Gh ¥hôÑdGh OƒYôdG
øcÉeCG çQGƒJ ¿CÉ°ûH áahô©ªdG IóYÉ≤dG
3
.Qƒ°ü©dG ôÑY É¡æ«Y ™bGƒªdG IOÉÑ©dG

The Site
Beginning of the visit Path 1 The Small Temple
Parking 2 The Great Temple
 Hosn Niha
Éë«f ø°üM

Hosn Niha
Éë«f ø°üM
The Hosn Niha temples are reached by taking the road up the
hill to the north of the Niha temple site. Two Roman temples ±hô©ªdG ™°VƒªdG ƃ∏H øµªj ,IôYh á«q ∏ÑL ≥jôW ∑ƒ∏°S ó©Hh ,Éë«f Ió∏H »dÉYCG »a
were constructed at Hosn Niha, and many architectural and ¿É¶Øàëj ¿’Gõj Ée »fÉehôdG ô°ü©dG øe ¿Gô«¨°U ¿GóÑ©e Ωƒ≤j å«M ,zÉë«f ø°üM{p`H
decorated stones are spread all over the site today. Architectural .ɪ¡°üFÉ°üN ¢†©ÑH
evidence at the site indicates that it was transformed into a
small fort during the medieval period.

Hosn Niha Complex

Cella

3
Portico

Adytum Cella 1 Portico 2

10m 50m 100m

The Site
Beginning of the visit Path 1 The Great Temple
Visit path 2 The Byzantine Church
3 The Small Temple
 Hosn Niha
Éë«f ø°üM

1 & 2– The Great Temple

and the Byzantine Basilica
á«£fõ«ÑdG á°ù«æµdGh ô«ÑµdG óÑ©ªdG -2-1
…P óeƒ©e ¥GhQ øe ∞dq CÉàjh ¥ô°ûdG √ÉéJÉH íàØæjh á«dÉY ácq On ≈∏Y ô«ÑµdG óÑ©ªdG º«bCG
sn Niha Complex
Built on a podium facing toward the east, the Great Temple (1) is
composed of a portico with four columns, leading to a cella, and
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then to an elevated adytum. Today, the temple site is quite well ¿Éc óÑ©ªdG á¡LGh ΩÉeCGh .πNGódG øe ºFÉYódG É¡æjq õJ ɪ«a ,êQÉîdG øe AÉ°ù∏e óÑ©ªdG
preserved – most of its walls are intact, but its columns are no Ék bô°T »¡àæJ ¥ÉØfCG áKÓK äGP á«q £fõ«H ᵫ∏jRÉH ÉjÉ≤H âëJ √ÉjÉ≤H âØàNG íHòe Ωƒ≤j
longer standing. The altar in front of the temple was destroyed .…ôFGO ∞°üf ÜGôëªH
by a Byzantine Basilica (2) that was built over it. The Basilica
has three naves and a semi-circular apse to its east end. Today,
you can still see the lower portions of the Basilica walls.

Cella

3
Portico

Adytum Cella 1 Portico 2

ô«¨°üdG óÑ©ªdG -3
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3– The Small
k »¡àæj øë°U
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Temple íHGòªdG AGõLCG ¢†©H ≈dEG áaÉ°VEG Iô«ãc á«q aôNRh á«q FÉæH ô°UÉæY ™bƒªdG »a ô°ûàæJh
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The Small Temple opens to .≈£°SƒdG ¿hô≤dG »a ø°üM ≈dEG ∫ÓWC’G √òg πjƒëJ
the south and was accessed
through a stairway that
is almost completely
Cella
50m destroyed today. 100m The 3
stairway leads to a portico
with two columns, and then Portico
to a small cella with a small
niche at its end, which used
to2 hold the statue of the The Site
he visit Path
god or goddess. 1 The Great Temple
2 The Byzantine Church
3 The Small Temple
 Temnine El-Faouqa
ÉbƒØdG ø«æªJ

Temnine El-Faouqa ÉbƒØdG ø«æªJ

The village of Temnine El-Faouqa is situated 4km from the town
of Ablah. After crossing over the main road inside the village, a
secondary road leads to a place called Ain el-Jeb (“the source
of the well”), which is the local name given to the small Roman
sanctuary located here. This vaulted sanctuary was built to
honor a goddess of flowing water. A stone with a carving of this
goddess was found in the site during excavations.
The architecture of this sanctuary is similar to the classical
Roman style, with a portico with two columns built between
two antae. The cella has two niches built inside its south and
north walls and a 4m deep water well in its center. This well
is usually filled with underground water running from the base
of the nearby mountain. The cella ends with a slightly elevated
platform, which forms the adytum. At the end of the adytum, a
small, semicircular niche, built in the north wall, used to hold
the statue of the god or goddess.
Today, the sanctuary has been completely restored, and only
the columns of the portico were destroyed during the Lebanese
war.
Although the cult of the flowing water goddess was fairly
widespread in Lebanon, this sanctuary is unique because there
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Temnine Temple
Cella

are very few temples in the region that were dedicated to this Adytum

goddess.
Cella
Portico

Main road to Temnine El-Faouqa

& Beirut 10m 50m 100m
 Qsarnaba
ÉÑfô°üb

Qsarnaba
The Roman temple situated at the height of the village of
Qsarnaba has classical architecture similar to the other Roman
temples in the Békaa Valley.
Built over a high podium, the temple is accessed by a
monumental stairway leading to a portico with four columns.
The portico is followed by the cella, which ends with a stairway
leading to the adytum.
A colonnaded altar was built in front of the temple in the typical
Roman style; it was constructed with a square stone that is
surrounded by four small columns on its four sides. This type
of altar was common in the Lebanese temples built during the
Roman era.
Today, this temple is quite well preserved. The base of the
altar, the temple base and stairway, and the lower portions of
the temple walls are still intact. Only the elevated adytum is no
longer standing.
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.Ék ©FÉ°T ¿Éc
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Qsarnaba Temple
Private Houses

Private Houses

Adytum

Cella

Portico

Altar

Private Houses
Towards
Beirut

10m 50m 100m

● Original text in Arabic by Dr. Hassan Salamé-Sarkis. .¢ù«cô°S áeÓ°S ¿É°ùM
q QƒàcódG ¢üf ●
● English Translation by Assaad Seif.
● Maps: Assaad Seif.
.∞«°S ó©°SCG :§FGôîdG OGóYEG ●
www.DestinationLebanon.com
 Glossary
Adytum: A sacred inner space in a temple that the
public was forbidden to enter.
Altar: Raised platform or structure where sacrifices
are offered and religious rites are performed.
Antae: The plural of anta, a protruding wall on
the front side of a rectangular structure
(usually a temple) that delimits an open air
platform in front of the main door.
Apse: A semi-circular area at east end of a church,
often with a domed or vaulted roof.
Basilica: Large church with three naves.
Capital: The top part of a column.
Cella: The central space in a temple.
Colonnade: A set of evenly spaced columns.
Corinthian One of the five classical orders of
Style: architecture, characterized by a slender,
fluted column and bell-shaped capital with
carved ornaments based on acanthus leaves.
Crypt: An underground chamber, usually vaulted.
Genie: A mythological, nonmaterial creature that
works as an attendant spirit.
Ionic Style: A Greek architectural style characterized
by capitals with spirals on the sides.
Lintel: A horizontal stone or beam, often located
over door or window.
Metropolitan: In the Eastern Orthodox Church, a
metropolitan is the head of an ecclesiastic
province, ranking between an archbishop
and a patriarch.
Nave: The central space in a church.
Niche: A recess in a wall, often containing a statue,
bust, or vase.
Oratory: A small room or secluded place, set apart
for private prayer.
Podium: A raised platform that supports a colonnade
or wall.
Portico: Covered walkway in the form of a roof
supported by columns or pillars.
Relief: Carvings of forms or figures projecting from
a flat surface.
See: A district of a bishop.
Stele: A monolithic stone slab that serves a
a monument and can sometimes have
an inscription.
Vault: An arched structure forming a ceiling
or a roof.