22 August 2008
BEIRUT: Seemingly a world away from the bright lights of Beirut or the paltry summer humidity along the Mediterranean coast, the Qadisha Valley has more to offer an inquisitive visitor than a quiet respite from Lebanon's summer heat.
The valley's stunning natural beauty - mountain-hugging forests buttressed by rocky cliffs which drop into lush green valleys - goes hand-in-hand with the area's cultural heritage: The imposing topography made the area an ideal refuge for early Christian sects looking to escape religious persecution. Indeed, over the years the Qadisha Valley has played host to Maronites, Greek and Syrian Orthodox as well as Armenian communities. The sanctuary the area provided to these groups - often in the form of natural caves which dot the steep slopes - in part helped earn the Qadisha Valley a spot on the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's list of World Heritage Sites.
Starting in the heart of the mountains near the village of Besharreh in North Lebanon and shooting downward toward the Mediterranean sea, the deep valley is carved through the rock by the Nahr Qadisha, or Holy River.
The religious connotations which many of the area's names conjure up are not, however, just for show, as the valley is renown for its myriad of monasteries. Those of Saint Elius and Saint Anthony Qozhaya occupy two of the Qadisha's natural caves while the churches of Mar Sarkis, Mar Bohana and Mar Shmouna boast 13th-century paintings.
Also resting in the main valley is Wadi Qanoubine, which constitutes a lower section of the Qadisha. Home to a large Maronite community with a similar history of a place of refuge from persecution, the area is likewise the host of many churches and monasteries, the most notable of which being the Qanoubine Monastery. From an altitude of 900 meters and higher, visitors to Wadi Qanoubine often take advantage of the area's hiking trails and natural grottos.
The picturesque village of Besharreh overlooks the Qadisha Valley from a perch of 1,400 meters. The town's red-tiled buildings of sandy-colored limestone stand against backdrops of vineyards and olive groves typical of the Lebanese mountainside.
However, despite its staggering aesthetic value, Besharreh's main claim to fame is arguably that it is both the birth and final resting place of the celebrated Lebanese writer and artist Gibran Khalil Gibran. A museum dedicated to the prominent literary figure opened in 1975 in the former monastery of Saint Sarkis. Containing over 170 paintings and original manuscripts of the Lebanese artist, the museum - open daily during the summer - also houses Gibran's tomb.
The summer resort of Ehden lies close to Besharreh on the Mar Sarkis Mountain, albeit at a slightly higher elevation of 1,500 meters. Traditional cafes and restaurants, clean water and fresh air continue to attract tourists to the town from both local and foreign places of origin.
Farther up the valley, 400 meters higher than Besharreh, one can encounter the Cedar's of God, or arz er-rabb. The broad-based trees towering to heights of 40 meters are a main draw to the upper end of the Qadisha Valley, which is also home to a ski resort during the cold and snowy winter months. - with Adam Jewell
Copyright The Daily Star 2008.
