Zahle
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- This article is about a town in Lebanon. You may also be looking for Carl Theodor Zahle, a Danish politician.
| Zahle زحلة |
|
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Governorate | Beqaa |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Asaad Zgheib |
| Area | |
| - City | 19.8 km² (7.6 sq mi) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - City | 78,981 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC+2) |
| - Summer (DST) | EST (UTC+3) |
Zahlé (Arabic: زحلة; also transliterated Zahlah or Zahleh) is the capital of Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon. With around 80,000 inhabitants, mostly Christian, it is the third largest city in Lebanon. Zahle is called the bride of the Bekaa Valley. It is famous for its clean air, its resorts and its food.
Contents |
[edit] General
The city is situated 52 km to the East of the Lebanese capital Beirut. It's possible to drive a car from Zahlé to Beirut in 60 to 75 minutes, depending on traffic volume.
[edit] Zahlé in History
Zahlé was founded about 300 years ago in an area whose past reaches back some five millennia. In the early 18th century the new town was divided into three separate quarters, each of which had its own governor. The city enjoyed a brief period as the region's first independent state in the 19th century when it had its own flag and anthem. Zahlé was burned in 1777 and 1791, and it was burned and plundered in 1860. But during the rule of the Mutasarrifiah, Zahlé began to regain its prosperity. The railroad line which came through in 1885 improved commerce and the town became the internal "port" of the Beqaa and Syria. It was also the center of agriculture and trade between Beirut and Damascus, Mosul and Baghdad. Considered the birthplace of the Lebanese army, Zahlé has played a major role in the political life of the country. It is, until now, considered the greatest country in Lebanon.
[edit] Zahlé's Bardouni Restaurants
The Bardouni is a river that flows out of Mount Sannine and down through Zahlé. It is also a name synonymous with Lebanon's famous mezze and the delights of outdoor dining. The Bardouni restaurant tradition began over a hundred years ago with a few simple riverside cafes. Today it is a virtual bazaar of tree-shaded eating places known as "casinos," every one more inviting than the next. Not surprisingly, competition is fierce, so each establishment outdoes itself with fountains, pools, and cooling shade to tempt potential customers. Here you can enjoy the traditional Lebanese mezze as it is served nowhere else. To add to the sense of timelessness, delicious mountain bread is baked before your eyes and a man in baggy trousers and fez is on hand to pour Lebanese coffee. He can also provide diners with a hubble-bubble (water pipe). On the cliffs above the Bardouni are the restaurants of Kaa el Reem, also known for their excellent food and atmosphere.
The river Bardaouni which crosses the city is shallow, especially during summer.
[edit] Wine and Arak
Zahlé's association with the grape is pervasive, for it lies at the heart of an area that has been making wine since early antiquity. At the city's southern entrance the statue of a graceful female personifies wine and poetry, but you don't have to look far to see evidence of the real thing. The hills north of town with names like Wadi Hadi, Harqat, Bir Ghazour and Tell Zeina are covered with the neat rows of vineyards that supply Zahle's wine and arak industries. Many of the wines have been formally recognized abroad for their fine quality–equal to some of the best in Europe. A tour of Zahlé's Ksara winery is a good way to see how wine and arak are made. Of special interest here are the extensive underground caves built around a natural grotto known and enlarged by the Romans
[edit] Local Celebrations
Each year between the 10th and 20th of September Zahlé mounts its week-long " Festival of the Vine", a celebration shared with the city's " Flower Festival". In a carnival-like atmosphere "Miss Vine" is elected and cars are decorated with flowers representing national symbols.
Zahlé is also famous for its Corpus Christi festival which dates back to 1825 when the town was spared the ravages of a contagious disease. Corpus Christi is celebrated on the first Thursday of June with a torch-light parade held on the eve of the festival. The next morning a mass takes place at Our Lady of Najat Church, followed by a procession of townspeople carrying the "Holy Bread" through the streets.
Christian pilgrims and tourists also visit the tower of Our Lady of Bekaa for panoramic views of the Beqaa Valley.
[edit] Meaning of name
It is speculated that the name Zahlé is derived from the Arabic verb زحل zahhala, which means to push away, to dislodge, to displace. The occasional landslides which take place in the area around the city may have been the origin of its name.
[edit] Zahlé Families
- Abou Zeidan
- Abras
- Asar
- Bou Zaidan
- Bsaybes
- Chammas
- Chedid
- Fadel
- Hindi
- Ibrahim
- Kandalaft
- Karak
- Kassarjeh (Kassarjé)
- Kfoury
- Khazzaka
- Khoury
- Ltaif (Lteif)
- Maalouf
- Maksoud
- Mezeraaneh (Mezeraané)
- Nabhan
- Nader (Neder)
- Nehmeh (Nehmehé)
- Noumair (Nmeir)
- Ray
- Ramia
- Saadi
- Sabbouha
- Skafe
- Turk
- Youssef
- Zalaquett
- Zarzur
- Zgheib (Zougheib)
- Zrien
