Prominent Historical Sites In The Republic Of Lebanon

by erin on November 30, 2010

Qadisha Valley

If you love history, Lebanon is a place where you will not have a hard time finding things to explore. Lebanon has an incredibly rich and lengthy history, full of all sorts of events that have shaped it into the country that you see today. Lebanon even has some of the oldest populated cities in the world – Byblos, Beirut, and Sidon. However, Lebanon isn’t only for history buffs. Regarded as one of the best places to party in the world, and was the number one tourist destination in 2009. So if you’re thinking of seeing the historical side of Lebanon, the wild side, or a little bit of both, you will need an US passport card.

Now you are able to go online in order to apply for passports, and it’s so much easier than having to deal with the traditional passport process. It’s only a few easy steps: go online, pick which sort of service you need, choose a date for it to be delivered, and the process is done. You can even get a 24 hour passport renewal, perfect for if you want to make a quick getaway for a week.

Lebanon is located along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and shares a long border with Syria. Because of this location, much of its history is Roman. There are seemingly countless Roman ruins around the country, and most of them are surprisingly easy to get to. One of the most famous Roman sites in the world, and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is Baalbek. This is an ancient city, featuring some of the biggest and best preserved Roman temples in the world. Considered a wonder of the ancient world, Baalbek is a place full of testaments to Roman history. There are many temples, including the Temple of Jupiter and the Temple of Bacchus, and each retaining much of their original form and decoration. These huge temples rose around 70 feet high.

The Qadisha Valley and the nearby Cedars of God form yet another World Heritage Site. Qadisha translates into “holy,” as this valley features some of the most ancient Christian monasteries in the world. The Cedars are the remnants of an ancient forest, full of the oldest trees in the world, some of which are still living at 3000 years old. The wood from these trees were one of the most highly valued building materials in ancient times, used by Solomon to construct the First Temple of Jerusalem, as well as by Egyptians to build boats. There are many, many caves located in this valley which were used in ancient times as shelters for those fleeing persecution. Recently, mummies of ancient villagers dating back to 1283 AD were found.

Tyre, founded in 2750 BC, is an ancient city where people still live today. This particular spot is famous in Classical Roman Mythology as the birthplace of Dido and Europa, two famous characters in the mythology. Al Mina is another archaeological site to visit. Much of the original Roman architecture is still standing, and it’s also located on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.

The nightlife of Lebanon, particularly in Greater Beirut, is considered to be some of the best in the world. Clubs, with people still partying, are open past dawn, and the bars and clubs located on the roofs of buildings are a popular destination for partiers. The beaches are also popular for parties.

If you are thinking of traveling to Lebanon, don’t forget your passport. Also don’t forget about 24 hour USA passport renewal that is available online.

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