FAQRA

Faqra, approached through a labyrinth of limestone formations known as “houses of ghosts,” is known for its temples and its good skiing. The temple site is also the venue of a summer cultural festival.The temples of Qalaat Faqra at 1,550 meters are the most extensive Roman ruins of all Mount Lebanon.The site is dominated by a huge tower 15 meters square, which originally had a third story and a pyramid-shaped roof. An interior staircase leads up to top. A Greek inscription on the north-east corner of the tower and another above the door indicate that the building was restored by the Roman Emperor Claudius in 43 AD. About 50 meters north-west of the tower is a large altar, probably associated with the tower itself. Not far away is a colonnaded altar. The main temple, dedicated to a “very great god,” is a rewarding place to investigate, with its restored columns and the remains of an altar. It had a square courtyard which was surrounded by a colonnade on three sides.