At a time when the country is slipping away from us, we feel the need to return to the foundations of our culture by reconnecting with our monuments, our heritage, our resources and our national glory to regain our territory.
In January 1961, after nearly two years of excavation, the Roman baths were discovered in Deir al-Qalaa. These vestiges dating from Justinian complement this magnificent archaeological site located in the lovely village of Beit Mery. The name Beit Mery is derived from the Syriac BetMâré, the house of the master, in reference to the Phoenician god Baal-Marqod. Indeed, an impressive temple was devoted to this god of dancing, singing, and joy, who used to be so powerful that he shook the earth.
As always in Lebanon, civilizations have nicely overlapped and revealed themselves throughout the ruins. As a result, this country offers hidden treasures to history buffs in all its regions. But what can we possibly see today at Deir el-Qalaa?
The site houses three distinct complexes from different periods.
First the Great Temple, then the sacred area, which includes the remains of other temples, and finally, an ancient settlement. Ever since its existence, the site has included a cultural complex dedicated to the god Baal-Marqod, who was the most worshiped god during the Phoenician era. It appears that the Romans have also built a large temple on the site, with columns made of pink limestone, known as chahm wa lahm, whose subsoil is rich in the region. According to archaeologists, This temple was as imposing as that of Baalbeck and was therefore of great historical importance.
The sacred area reveals the existence of several temples, most likely of a smaller size, which probably served as worship places for numerous deities. The inscriptions on the site refer to gods and goddesses such as Aphrodite, Mater Matuta, Jupiter, and Juno and Roman emperors such as Hadrian, Septimius Severus, and Trajan.
The settlement that appears to have flourished in Byzantine and Roman times includes oil mills, a grape press, baths, villas and a paved street lined with colonnades and porticos, remnants of some shops, and a Byzantine church with a mosaic floor; an actual city frequented by noblemen and high priests. However, the site is now called Deir el-Qalaa after the monks of Mar Chaaya.
In 1748, they built a convent and a church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist on the front partition of the Great Temple. Although the first stone was laid by the monk Simon Arida, it was Father Ibrahim Aoun who completed the work. Many traces of different eras can be found there.
Furthermore, the beauty and the charm of these historical ruins, have quickly led to Lebanese and international music festivals in 1967. Classical music, national and international orchestras, musicals, zajal tournaments, but also great international stars such as Dalida, and Demis Roussos who came to celebrate life under the starry sky of Beit-Mery. Following the occupation of the Syrian army and the lack of concern by local authorities, this prestigious site is in a state of dilapidation. However, nothing is lost, and what it has to reveal heralds the great importance of this unique place that thrills archaeologists. Finally, Lebanon has proved once again that it is a major historical destination with the hope that someday it gets inscribed as a “world heritage country” to ensure its safety.