Nothing has really prepared me for the enormity of what I am to witness first hand at the site of the ancient city of Baalbek – the historical and cultural significance is overwhelming. In some ways larger and more interesting than either the Roman Forum or the Parthenon, Baalbek exists in Western Lebanon in the Beqaa Valley, nestled between the Mount Lebanon Ranges to the west and Syrian Coastal Mountain Range (Bargylus) to the east.
Historically this fertile valley is at the very heart of where civilization began. The Phoenicians, Egyptians, Assyrians, Israelites, Turks and Romans did not just pass through here. Each have entire histories here, civilizations that have lasted hundreds if not thousands of years. All having left their mark in some way. Baalbek reads like a history book, if you know where to look.
Today, apart from the contrast of dark brown-red soil and the golden fields of freshly cut wheat that tells of the fertility of this area, Baalbek is what remains of those past civilizations. And Francoise, my guide, knows where to look.
Known as Heliopolis, or the Sun City in ancient times, Baalbek’s ruins are, by ruin standards, exceptionally well preserved. The sheer scale of the temples and surrounding courtyards are extravagant in lay out and although this is one of the most popular attractions in Lebanon, it retains an air of mystery due to its out of the way rural setting.
Before we even enter the site proper, Francoise first daws my attention to the Venus Temple. We cannot get too close to it, but we stand outside the fence on the cobbled street to hear that it dates to the 3rd century.
The Venus Temple
The Venus Temple lies outside of the Qalaa or Sacred Roman Enclosure of Baalbek proper which encompasses the area of the major temples and their forecourts. It was built in the 3rd Century AD and is the most recent of the temples, built on the same orientation as the Jupiter Temple. However, it is uncertain as to whether this temple was really dedicated to Venus. Originally designed as a round temple, its shape was altered to accommodate the staircase resulting in a U shaped podium. During the Christian period it was known as the Saint Barbara Church and remains of a wall plaster bearing a Greek inscription and a painted cross were found inside.
It is already looking fairly impressive. Then, we enter the site proper.
It is astonishing.
Made up of several different areas, Baalbek is laid out as follows:
- The Propylaea
- The Hexagonal Courtyard
- The Great Courtyard
- Jupiter Temple
- Bacchus Temple
- Museum
The Propylaea
Even when the layout is explained to me, map in sight, it is hard to comprehend the scale. The ancient walls have a circumference of around 6km. We stand at the bottom of the steps, part of a semi circular forecourt that leads up to the 5m raised plaza of the site. These steps were in fact completely dismantled to build another wall but new steps were installed in the early 20th Century by the German Emperor Wilhelm III.
The rest, however, is ancient. The 8m columns that form what would have been the front portico (a vast understatement) tower above us. More aptly known as the Propylaea whereby 12 giant columns prop up the long rectangular hall, flanked by double story towers on either side. What is left of the largely exposed decoration is opulent and graceful, being linked to the elegant style of Greek design added to the original Temple in the 2nd or 3rd century AD. The columns would have been gilded, combined with the detail on the carvings and the symbolism of it all, it is rather overwhelming. And this is only the beginning.
Even in the ancient worn stone there is symbolism everywhere – shells, eggs, lattice, criss cross, lions, fleur de lis.
It almost breaks my heart to see this art, this architecture, the visible efforts of humankind left in this state. Yet I’m not sure what the alternative is. And it is beautiful nevertheless.
The Hexagonal Courtyard
And then we enter the hexagonal courtyard. Originally built in the 2nd century AD as a four sided open structure, at some stage it was redesigned and converted to a hexagonal shape and covered. It served as a forecourt to the Great Courtyard. During the Islamic period when the Muslims turned the whole site into a castle, windows were built in, arches added, walls modified to accommodate defense mechanisms and other features generally altered. I can see the evidence of this plainly in the remaining arches nestled against the much higher outer wall.
Francoise points out the different features to me, all in various phases of deterioration and I merely nod. The enormity of history beating down as heavily as the scorching afternoon sun. I try to take it in, to put it into some sort of organized time line in my mind.
The Great Courtyard
We move on to the Great Courtyard, an expansive rectangular space that was part of the sacred temple design and is hardly what comes to mind when the word ‘courtyard’ is uttered. Even bigger than the hexagonal courtyard, this courtyard , measuring approximately 135m x 113m, had features such as: being surrounded on three sides by a colonnaded portico; two separate pagan high altars (of utmost importance to those that worshiped Jupiter here); two freestanding columns and two large water pools/features.
Colonnaded Portico
The colonnaded portico would have had in excess of 100 columns in total holding up the portico surrounding the Great Courtyard. The portico itself was completed by ornate niches built into the protection of the portico.
The sheer scale of the courtyard is rather overwhelming. Although the majority of the columns no longer stand and much of what remains here is rubble, there is enough to piece together in the mind’s eye, a glimpse of what was. Towering columns, complete with decoration at every turn. The outer wall, much of which still stands protect what remains of the precious carvings and carefully laid symmetry of the structure.
Statues, intricately detailed, would have once graced the niches, standing and observing the passing crowds.
I step into a niche which, while damaged and worn, looks almost complete only to look up through the partially fallen in roof to the blue sky beyond. I close my eyes and can almost hear the babble of a crowd gathered around in gossip with a background of bubbling fountains and prayers ongoing. The effect of the sun must be getting to me and a shiver runs over my skin as I open my eyes.
Francoise calls me over to explain the high altars while inspecting them more closely.
High Altars
The altars served the purposes of sacrifice and worship. One alter is for sacrifices (I am pleased to hear that these were not necessarily animal) and one for worship. The smaller of the two, a cube alter in the middle of the Great Court, measures 7m x 7m x 7m with stairs built in on either side to ascend and descend.
The Great Altar, the bigger of the two, features a covered entryway with rosette detail in the roof. This passage leads to the stairs on top of which would have been a large, flat surface where sacrifices were made. Open half pipe indentations in the stone indicate where blood may have been drained away.
During the 5th Century AD the altars of the Jupiter Heliopolitanus cult were somewhat destroyed to make way for an early Christian Basilica. The two freestanding columns, known as the ‘North’ and ‘South’ Columns belonged to the structure of the basilica.
North & South Columns
At some stage during the early Christian period (since the 5th Century AD), the altars were replaced by a basilica. All that remain here of the basilica is two free standing columns, the northern column being grey granite, the southern column being made from pink granite. Both granites are traceable to Egypt and symbolize various versions of good and evil or light and dark. The other remains of the basilica were removed during the 20th century in order to investigate more of the Roman temple remains.
Water Pools
Two large water features within the confines of the Great Courtyard indicate that there was a natural spring water source flowing through here all those centuries ago.
Francoise points out more interesting facts and features to me. Without her, I would walk past all of it, unknowing. The carvings around the water pool are not only detailed, they are still recognizable as the familiar names are recited to me: Hercules, Venus, cherubs, Venus’ son Cupid and Medusa to name but a few. Then, on the next stone the characters continue on one side and end abruptly halfway – it is only half finished. One half is perfectly carved and the other half a blank stone canvas, never finished. It is blatantly obvious if you only know what you are looking at and where to cast your gaze.
Francoise takes a phone call which gives me the chance to wander off and explore a bit more, weaving in and out of the stones on the ground, touching a carving here, a piece of history there, gazing up once more as the columns soar above me and the empty remains of niches lay open to the sun.
From the Great Courtyard we make our way up the large, grand stone stairway that lead to the Jupiter Temple, the sacred heart of the ancient temple complex.
Jupiter Temple
The Jupiter Temple is an astounding Roman temple. Measuring 48m x 88m, it is the largest in the Roman Empire. Today only three elements of the original structure survive: the podium, the surrounding peristyle and parts of the east side.
The podium, a 12m high platform on which the temple stood, was constructed before the temple, rather than as a part of the construction. While the construction of the temple saw an extension to the podium begun With huge stone blocks up to 12m longe, the extension was never completed.
The peristyle (courtyard with covered walkway surrounding it), forming the interior of the temple, was constructed on an immense scale. The layout was 10 columns wide x 19 columns long. Given the columns were, of themselves, 2m in diameter (I measure myself up against them and try to take in this fact) and 20m high it is difficult to imagine, even while standing in this very spot, the actual effect of the building. Fragments have been dated to suggest that the building of the temple began after the settlement of the colony in 15 BC.
Bacchus Temple
Although part of the same sacred complex, the Bacchus Temple stands of its own accord, south and parallel to the Jupiter Temple with no apparent links. It is build in the same style, on a podium with peristyle surrounding the temple, boasting a richly decorated pediment and cornice with space for ample acroteria (decorative pedestals for ornaments).
Although smaller than the Jupiter Temple, the Bacchus Temple is much better preserved. The steps leading up to the peristyle are intact, the portico itself is not in wonderful shape. What is, however, is the pro-cella (ante-cella) and cella, the inner area of the temple which housed the hidden sacred cult statue of the relevant god. Despite missing a roof, it is startling in its level of preservation. Here the decoration is incredible, carved reliefs and cornices about not to mention the two rows of niches on each side of the ante-cellar where statues would have once adorned the walls.
Unlike the Jupiter Temple which was never finished, the Bacchus Temple was completed and it is incredible to see how well it has weathered the test of time, including earthquakes, religious, structural and societal transformations to be still here standing complete with its rich ornamentation basking in the hot afternoon sun.
We walk a circuit of the building underneath the external portico taking in fallen parts of the roof and columns. There is nothing cordoned off or stopping us from climbing over the ruins and I find myself, perhaps unjustifiably, upset at the apparent disrespect of those who climb parts of fallen colonnades to take selfies.
At the back of the Bacchus Temple is the remains of a mosque. After the Roman period, the Qalaa and city of Baalbek were permanently settled. Early Christians changed the structure and layout of the Qalaa to resemble a basilica. Later still, during the early Islamic period and after the medieval era Arabs inhabited the area and left their mark on the site.
The excellent museum, hidden under the podium of the Great Courtyard offers a wealth more information on the ruins as well as the history of the site and the surrounding area throughout the ages. However, by now we have been exploring for a good three hours and I feel I may be at the limits of what I can absorb for the day.
WIth one last glance around at the rest of the treasures I want desperately to stay and learn about, I reluctantly follow Francoise back to our waiting driver and as we stop in town for some local food before returning to Beirut, I feel transported forward in time, back to today and I am left wondering, when might I return to take in some more of this sight of sights?
Good To Know
Although Baalbek is a popular tourist destination it is not easy to get to on your own. Best to book a tour through your hotel or try Kurban Travel.
Would I Return?
Yes. Baalbek is an easy day trip from Beirut. If you are into history, plan to spend at least half a day here exploring and employ a local guide to show you around who can lay out the history for you as you go. Otherwise, book an organized tour. These will typically allow you a couple of hours to explore with some tour information generally provided, however, depending on your native language and the fluency of your local guide, this may prove a less informative option.
Author’s note: the factual descriptions in this post are sourced from a combination of information available from the site, the communications of my expert guide and supplemented by further research from the likes of Wikipedia and relevant links.
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