Jbail (Byblos, جُبَيْل)

One of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth is the ancient city of Jbail, which is more commonly known as Byblos. It is also sometimes referred to as Jebeil, Jbeil, or Jubayl. It is about 40 km (25 mi) north of Beirut on the Mediterranean coast.

Excavations show that Byblos was already populated during the Neolithic period around 5,000 BC. After 3,000 BC, it became the most important trading port in the area. Cedar wood and oil was sent to Egypt and papyrus was brought back from it and sold to Europe and Asia.

The world's oldest phonetic alphabet was developed in Byblos, as a means to resolve language problems with the ancient Egyptians. Examples of this alphabet can be seen in the National Museum in Beirut, as well as on a small monument behind the old harbor of Byblos. The alphabet is the precursor of all modern alphabets. Until 1,000 BC Byblos was a major Phoenician center.

After its glory-days, it was invaded by Persians, Alexander the Great, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs. After it was taken and later abandoned by the Crusaders, Byblos fell into obscurity.

Despite all the destruction the civil war caused in Lebanon in the 1980s, Byblos' historic harbor and picturesque old town remain unspoilt. Byblos is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Places of interest

The Crusader castle dates from the 12th century. The castle forms the entrance to the the archaeological site and it is located not far from the port.
The Medieval city wall surround the old medieval part of Byblos.
Crusaders started construction of St. John the Baptist Church in 1115. It was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1170.
The old Sultan Abdulmejid mosque was constructed during Mamluk times. It got its name from Sultan Abdulmejid I after he renovated it.
Not far from the entrance to the archaeological site is a small souk (market), where souvenirs and other small artifacts can be bought.

Archaeological site

There are excavations just south of the old town, which can be entered through what remains of the Crusader castle. The oldest remains, in the form of floors from huts, date from 6000 BC.

There are several interesting constructions in the archaeological site.

The temple of Baalat Gebal (معبد بعلة جبيل) was erected in 2,800 BC. The temple was dedicated to Ba'alat Gebal, the goddess of the city of Byblos.
The so-called L-shaped temple dates from 2,700 BC.
The Temple of the Obelisks was originally constructed ovar a period from 2,600 to 2,200 BC on top of the forementioned 'L-shaped temple'. Archaeologists moved it to its current location at the end of the 20th century. The temple got its name from the numeours small obelisks that were found there. It is thought, they were used for religious offerings, as a large number of human figurines made of bronze covered with gold leaf were also found there. The figurines are on display in the National Museum of Beirut.
The royal necropolis includes several royal tombs and another temple that dates from the early 2nd millennium BC.
The Romans left an amphitheatre. it was built around 218 AD.
The Ain el-Malik ,or King's Spring, is about 20 m deep. It consists of a large cavity that can be accessed by spiral stairs. It once supplied the city with water and according to legend, the king's servants met Isis on the stairs of the spring and took her to the royal palace, where she found the body of her husband Osiris embedded in one of the palace pillars.

Museums

The Byblos Wax Museum displays wax statues of characters that range from Phoenician times to current days, thus showing the history and culture of Lebanon.
The Byblos Fossil Museum has a collection of fossilised fish, sharks, eel, flying fish and other marine life, some of which are millions of years old.
The Armenian Genocide Orphans' Aram Bezikian Museum is dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide and its survivors.

Just north from the old harbor is a small but excellent sand beach, where some underwater ruins are located as well. Byblos offers little accommodation, but there are many small restaurants and bars. Byblos is especially known for its fish-restaurants. The Byblos International Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in the historic quarter of Byblos during the summer.

Hotels in Jbail

Images

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