World Heritage Identification Number: 294
World Heritage since: 1984
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇱🇧 Lebanon
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Arab States
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Baalbek: A City of Imperial Roman Architecture
Baalbek, officially known as Heliopolis during the Hellenistic period, is a significant archaeological site located in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon. The city, which serves as the capital of Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, is approximately 67 kilometers northeast of Beirut and has a rich history that spans various civilizations.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
This Phoenician city, where a triad of deities was worshipped, was known as Heliopolis during the Hellenistic period. It retained its religious function during Roman times, when the sanctuary of the Heliopolitan Jupiter attracted thousands of pilgrims. Baalbek, with its colossal structures, is one of the finest examples of Imperial Roman architecture at its apogee.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): The archaeological site of Baalbek represents a religious complex of outstanding artistic value and its majestic monumental ensemble, with its exquisitely detailed stonework, is a unique artistic creation which reflects the amalgamation of Phoenician beliefs with the gods of the Greco-Roman pantheon through an amazing stylistic metamorphosis.
Criterion (iv): The monumental complex of Baalbek is an outstanding example of a Roman sanctuary and one of the most impressive testimonies to the Roman period at its apogee that displays to the full the power and wealth of the Roman Empire. It contains some of the largest Roman temples ever built, and they are among the best preserved. They reflect an extraordinary amalgamation of Roman architecture with local traditions of planning and layout.
Encyclopedia Record: Baalbek
Baalbek is a city located east of the Litani River in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, about 67 km (42 mi) northeast of Beirut. It is the capital of Baalbek-Hermel Governorate. In 1998, the city had a population of 82,608. Most of the population consists of Shia Muslims, followed by Sunni Muslims and Christians; in 2017, there was also a large presence of Syrian refugees.Additional Site Details
Area: Not available
Number of Components: 1
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 34.0066666667 , 36.2041666667
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© Saadedine AL SAIDI, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
