Climate
Lebanon Geography and Climate
In order to understand Lebanon history it is important to look at the geography and location of the country. Lebanon is a relatively small country lying on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean. It has a coastline of 225km and is about 46km wide. Despite its size, however, Lebanon geography is varied with green, fertile [...]
Mediterranean UNESCO Sites
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Lebanon
Despite its small size, Lebanon is home to no less than five World Heritage Sites as designated by UNESCO. In addition to the previously discussed Byblos and Tyre, the remaining three of these sites are Ouadi Qadisha and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab), Anjar and Baalbek. Ouadi Qadish or “The [...]
Eastern Med Geography
Roman Lebanon
In 64BC, the Roman general Pompey added Lebanon, along with neighbouring Syria, to the Roman Empire. Lebanon flourished under Roman rule and saw an explosion in economic and intellectual activities. The inhabitants of the major cities such as Tyre, Byblos and Sidon were all granted Roman citizenship. These cities became centres for pottery and glass [...]
Eatern Med History
History and Archaeology at Byblos
Originally called Gebal by the Phoenicians, Byblos, on the coast of Lebanon, is believed to date back to around 5000BC and was possibly the earliest Phoenician city. The name Byblos comes about because the Greeks named the city after the Egyptian papyrus (bublos) which was exported from the city. The present day city is called [...]
Cuisine of the Med
Lebanese Food
The cultural history of Lebanon has played an important part in shaping its cuisine. The Ottoman Turks, for example, introduced Turkish staples such as Baklava (a sweet pastry) and Laban which is a type of yogurt. The popularity of eating lamb also increased under Ottoman rule. Later, after the first- world-war, the French took control [...]
Lebanese Cuisine
Lebanese traditional dishes are similar to the cuisine you would find in other countries of the Eastern Med, for example Greece and Egypt. Kibbe is one of the national dishes from Lebanon, its a cracked wheat and minced lamb pie that is is eaten with a tomato and parsley salad (The Tabbouleh). The national drink [...]