Teleferique
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Teleferique, more commonly spelled in French, Téléférique, is a gondola lift, a cable-car system founded in 1965 in Lebanon. It is located in Jounieh, 16 km north of Beirut.
In only nine minutes, the Teleferique transports passengers from the Mediterranean bay of Jounieh, above the maritime highway and the pine-forested steep mountain, to an atlitude of 650 meters at the Our Lady of Lebanon shrine in Harissa.[1] The Teleferique offers passengers some of the most beautiful panoramic views in the world. Currently, the ride from Jounieh to Harissa on the Téléférique costs 7,500 L.L or US $5.00.[2]
[edit] Facts about the Teleferique
- The length of the cable measures 1,570 meters.
- The maximum slope is approximately 80%.
- The average speed is 3.15 meters/second.
- The flow of transport per hour is of 480 people in each direction (Total of 960 people per hour).[3]
[edit] Accidents
The history of Teleferique has known only two incidents. In the first one on March 2, 1989 several people were stuck in a cabin over the highway for hours before being rescued. The second incident, similar to the previous one, occurred on February 21, 2007 when five people were stuck in two separate cabins. They were rescued after six hours. No injuries have been ever reported.
