Baalbeck    City of the Gods

Baalbeck, one of the world's most amazing archaeological sites, can be found in the east of Lebanon, where the Beqaa plain lies enclosed between two mountain ranges. A very ancient site, Baalbeck came into its glory after the invasion of Alexander the Great, who elevated it to the rank of Heliopolis, City of the sun. with the Roman conquest and the construction of major temples, the town developed into an important religious site.

This monumental sanctuary is made up of three main temples.A visit begins with the temple of Jupiter, certainly the largest, but not the best preserved. Built during the reign of the Emperor Augustus towards the beginning of the Christian era, it was finished a half century later under the rule of Nero.
This temple, 88 meters long and 48 meters wide, was originally supported by 54 columns. Today only six remain, but their size- 22 meters high and 2 meters in diameter- is impressive indeed.

The masterpiece of Baalbeck is undoubtedly the Bacchus temple. Extremely well preserved thanks to Arab fortifications built around it, the temple was protected for centuries from the elements AD and linked to the temple of Jupiter, access to the temple was by an imposing staircase and a colossal door finely decorated with nymphs and mythological deities.
A short distance away stands the temple of Venus, built in the third century. A true jewel of Roman architecture, this temple was designed in an unusual circular form.
In Baalbeck one should also see the 8th century Ommayad mosque built with elements borrowed from the Byzantine church that formerly stood on the same site. Baalbeck has been named a world Heritage Site by UNESCO.