CAZA:
Shouf
900m Etymology:
Syriac origin, "Beit Dino", meaning "house of judgment" (called Bteddin until 1943)Beiteddine brings to mind, above all, the sumptuous palace, residence of the Chehab emirs, with its multiple towers, nestled on a hill between poplars. This major monument gave shape to the village which was structured like a backyard of the palace. The charm of the village derives from scattered, almost unnoticeable, terraces and orchards planted high above the palace. Beyond the splendor of Beiteddine’s palace, the village conceals many architectural jewels like the palace of Emir Amine, a hostellerie of great charm, and the Maronite bishopric. Beiteddine is a journey in history that one accomplishes through the Sublime Porte.
Must-do things
- The palace built by Bashir II Chehab between 1788 and 1818 and classified as a historical monument in 1934
- The Emir Amine Palace, son of Bashir II, dating from the 19th century and converted into a luxurious hotel
- The summer residence of the Maronite archdiocese of Saïda, originally the private home of Bashir II
- Beiteddine International Festival held in July-August
- Mir Amine hotel’s restaurant: a good Lebanese cuisine in the great setting
of a 19th century palace in Beiteddine.
- Al-Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve
- The cave and the fortress of Niha (Shouf)
- The labelled villages of Deir el-Qamar, Mokhtara, Maasser el-Chouf, Ain Zhalta and Baadarane
