Discover Zahle: Anjar and Umayyad Culture

In the Zahle District lies Anjar, whose excavated urban layout offers a clear cultural and historical focus. Its remains connect the Umayyad period with a distinct city plan. The wider Bekaa destination adds further cultural and landscape perspectives. If you are looking for a vacation rental for a culture-focused trip, this distinction can help you decide whether to focus your plans more on archaeology or on a broader regional itinerary.

Anjar: Founding and Umayyad Culture

Anjar was founded under the Umayyad Caliphate by Walid Ibn Abd Al-Malak in the early 8th century and abandoned after a short time. Its excavated remains are a precisely dated testament to Umayyad culture. Anjar is also considered an outstanding example of urban planning under the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century. Its founding, abandonment, and archaeological evidence give the site a clear historical timeframe; the city plan reveals another aspect of its history: the layout of a fortified city.

A Fortified City Plan

The excavated city has a rectangular plan measuring 385 × 350 meters and was surrounded by walls with forty towers. The two side lengths differ by 35 meters and are therefore close in size. This gives a sense of the site’s scale as well as its rectangular shape. The walls and towers also make clear that the city was fortified.

A main axis runs north to south; the less prominent east-west axis divides the site with it into four equal quarters. The city plan therefore has a clear hierarchy: a main line, a subordinate cross-axis, and four equal areas. The large palace of the caliph and the mosque stand in the southeastern quarter, at the highest part of the site. Their position can thus be understood both within the layout of the quarters and in relation to the elevation. For families who enjoy understanding history through concrete details, the measurements, axes, and locations of these buildings offer several points of interest.

Cultural Perspectives in the Wider Bekaa Destination

In the wider Bekaa destination, the Festival of the Vine adds an events focus to the archaeological perspective: it traditionally takes place in Zahlé every September. Over several weeks, there are daily concerts, plays, readings, and art exhibitions. Literary history is another cultural point of reference: fifty poets and writers were born in Zahlé during the past century. If the festival is to be a reason for your trip, check the specific dates for the relevant edition in advance.

Another cultural highlight in the wider Bekaa destination is the Tower of Our Lady of Zahlé and the Bekaa. An elevator takes visitors to the bronze statue of the Virgin Mary, which is nine meters tall and was created by the Italian artist Pierotti. Before your trip, check whether the elevator is operating.

The Aammiq Swamp is also part of the Bekaa’s landscape. It lies at an elevation of about 865 meters on the western side of the central Bekaa Valley, at the foot of the eastern slopes of the Barouk Mountains. Here, the focus is on geography and landscape, while Anjar is defined by its fortified urban layout and axes.

For your accommodation planning, this creates a difference in timing: the festival may influence your travel dates, while Anjar’s city planning offers a cultural and historical focus. If a specific event date is important, check the festival dates; if Anjar is your main focus, your interest in history can guide your trip planning. This distinction can help you first choose your preferred travel dates and then search for a vacation rental in Zahle.

Explore more destinations: Baalbeck.

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