Deir el Ahmar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Deir el Ahmar (ديرالاحمر) | |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Lebanon |
| Governorate | Beqaa Governorate |
| District | Baalbek District |
| Geography | |
  Deir el Ahmar
Location of Deir el Ahmar, Lebanon
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| Elevation | 1,050 - 1,150 m |
Deir El Ahmar (Arabic: ديرالاحمر) is a Lebanese town, located at 100 km from Beirut and 12 km northeast of Baalbeck in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.
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[edit] Demography and religion
The population of Deir el Ahmar is around 20,000 people. The people of Deil el Ahmar are Lebanese and followers of the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches. With eight historical churches, including Saint Joseph Church, which was completed on September 15, 1914, and Our Lady of the Tower Church, the town serves as the center of the archbishopric of Baalbek–Deir El-Ahmar.[1]
[edit] Geography
Deir el Ahmar's climate is mild during spring and autumn, dry and hot in summer, and cold during winter. With an altitude that ranges between 1,050 m and 1,150 m above sea level, the town receives heavy snow during the winter, and some roads leading to the town may be temporarily closed during this period.
[edit] Economy
Deir el Ahmar’s location in the fertile Beqaa Valley makes agriculture its main economical activity. The town produces jam, jelly, marmalade, and dairy products as well as handcrafts, such as pottery, crochet, and lace.[2]
Deir el Ahmar, like the rest of the Beqaa Valley, has good potential for tourism due to the mild climate, pristine nature, and the variety of historical and archeological sites. Ecotourism, especially natural excursions and hiking trips are becoming more popular in the region of Deir el Ahmar. Tourists also visit the local organic farms and participate in farming activities. However, the tourism sector remains mostly underdeveloped in Deir el Ahmar .[3]
[edit] History
Historians believe that the name of the village originated from the Aramaic, “Deir Ohmor’” which means “Monastery of the Brother.” Since the word deir means monastery and the Arabic word for the color red is ahmar, some historians believe that the origin of Deir el Ahmar’s name can be attributed to the large monastery in the area that was built with red stones, thus the name of the town can be literary translated to "Red Monastery."[4]
Deir el Ahmar, like the rest of Lebanon, was part of the Roman Empire, and during the third century A.D., the Roman emperor Caracalla built a temple for Jupiter in the vicinity of the village. The Temple of Jupiter would later become the center of the Jacobite Christians. Our Lady of the Tower Church (Saydet el Borj) was built on the ruins of the temple of Jupiter during the Byzantine era. The Castle of the King's Daughter (Qasr el Benet) near Chlifa was also built during this period. Maronite Catholic shepherds from Bsharri and Aakoura moved and settled in the region of Deir el Ahmar where better grazing was available. In the 19th century, other Maronite families from Byblos and Batroun settled in the village of Deir el Ahmar.[5]
Two earthquakes hit the village, one in 1158 and the other in 1202.
Deir el Ahmar has eight historic churches. The courtyard of Our Lady of the Tower has Greek inscriptions on its stone walls. Ruins of a cellar that reportedly dates to the Roman era are nearby the church.[6]
[edit] Famous people
- Danny Thomas, Lebanese-American actor
- Elissa, Lebanese singer
- Elias Najjar, Traditional poet and Aataba singer
[edit] Holidays
- Saint Joseph Day (March 19), religious ceremony in Saint Joseph Church
- Saint Elie Day (July 20), religious ceremony in Saint Elias Church
- The Assumption of Mary (August 15) religious ceremony at the shrine of Our Lady of Bechouat
- Feast of the Blessed Sacrement (September 14), religious ceremony in all Deil el Ahmar churches
- Saint Nohra, religious ceremony in Mar Nohra Church
[edit] References
- ^ http://download.destinationlebanon.com/destleb/Itineraries/Itinerary%2013/13-C%20Deir%20El%20Ahmar.pdf
- ^ http://www.wadalebanon.org/products.htm
- ^ http://www.wadalebanon.org/tourism.htm
- ^ http://download.destinationlebanon.com/destleb/Itineraries/Itinerary%2013/13-C%20Deir%20El%20Ahmar.pdf
- ^ http://www.wadalebanon.org/region.htm
- ^ http://download.destinationlebanon.com/destleb/Itineraries/Itinerary%2013/13-C%20Deir%20El%20Ahmar.pdf
