Antelias
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| Antelias (أنطلياس) | |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | Lebanon |
| Governorate | Mount Lebanon Governorate |
| District | Matn District |
| Geography | |
  Antelias
Location of Antelias, Lebanon
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Antelias (Arabic: أنطلياس) is a town in Lebanon. It is located around 5 km to the north of Beirut. Its inhabitants are mainly Christians and include Maronites, Greek Catholics, Greek Orthodox and Armenians (mostly Orthodox). Antelias is the seat of the Armenian Catholicos of Cilicia and includes other important religious buildings such as the St-Elie maronite convent with its two churches. Other churches pertaining to the remaining communities (mainly Greek Catholics and Orthodox) also exist in the area.
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[edit] Etymology
The name is originally Greek, "Ante Helios", meaning "Facing the Sun".
[edit] Geography
Geographically, Antelias is composed of a coastal fertile plain and a hilly region more to the east. There is also a narrower plain on the sides of the Antelias river, which originates from a nearby source (Fawar) and runs east west to discharge in the Mediterranean Sea.
Until the early nineties of the last century, the coastal plain of Antelias mostly consisted of open areas planted with orange and banana trees. Very few houses could be seen in the coastal plain. The strips along the Antelias river also used to be planted with orange trees.
Due to the vast urbanization since the second half of the last century, most green areas have been removed and replaced by residential and commercial buildings, thus creating a serious environmental impact on the area. Very few if any such green areas still exist.
[edit] Strategic Position
Antelias is considered the gate to the upper Matn regions. The Matn is one of the most prosperous regions of Lebanon, including a number of factories, commercial malls and important schools.
Antelias is situated between Beirut and the city of Jounieh and its coastal highway witnesses a daily rush of traffic. As previously stated, Antelias is the gateway to Bikfaya, Dhour el Chweir, Baskinta and Aintoura, all renowned summer resorts and the Antelias-Bikfaya road is well known to play that linkage role.
[edit] Commercial Interest
Antelias contains the St-Elie Center in addition the Spinney's Supermarket and ABC Mall.In addition to one of the largest Armenian orthodox cathedrals in the middle east and the beautiful architecture of the well known St. Elie church.
[edit] Touristic Interest
Antelias is the home to a large Marina and beach front that attracts people from neighbouring and even distant localities.
[edit] Cultural Interest
Antelias features an annual event of Book Fair sponsored by the Antelias Cultural Movement.
The Cultural Movement by itself is an organization headquartered in Antelias and it holds periodic events such as political discussions, book reviews, theatrical plays and the like.
Antelias is also the home of the Rahbani Brothers that have given so much to the World Music Heritage. Fayruz is a worldwide icon in this sense and is currently living in Antelias, the city that has inspired the Rahbanis for so many years.
[edit] Archaeological Interest
Antelias is home to the site of Ksar Akil where the region's oldest remains of a human being have been found: 30,000 years old man near the caves of Ksar Akil.
Those caves are also well coveted by known speleologists who have explored their passage ways.
Antelias is also the site of a 111 years old Church, the St-Elie Church, built in 1895.
[edit] Historical Interest
Antelias (The St Elie Convent in particular) was the venue for the signature of a historical treaty (In Arabic: Ammiyat Antelias) between several communities in Lebanon to unite against the oppression of the Ottoman occupation and their allies in the late 19th century, precisely in 1840. The Christian and Druze communities were the main parties in that treaty. It was unfortunate that this treaty did not prevent a fierce war between the two communities in the aftermath of the Israeli partial withdrawal from Lebanon in 1982.
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