| Bsharri بْشَرِّيْ |
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| — City — | |
| Bsharri as seen from across the Qadisha valley (facing west). | |
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Bsharri
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Lebanon |
| Governorate | North Governorate |
| District | Bsharri District |
| 1029 AD | |
| Elevation | 1,450 m (4,757 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 1,550 m (5,085 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 1,350 m (4,429 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 100,000 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Dialing code | +961 |
Bsharri (also spelled Becharre, Bcharre, Bsharre; Arabic: بْشَرِّيْ), is a Lebanese town at about 1,450 m of altitude, near the Kadisha Valley. It is located at , in the Bsharri District of the North Governorate. Bsharri is the town of the only remaining (preserved) Original Cedars of Lebanon. Cedar and is the birthplace of the famous poet, painter and sculptor Khalil Gibran who now has a museum in the town to honor him.
The name Bsharri (بشرّي) can be found in the Phoenician language (بيث الشري) meaning "The House Of Ishtar",[1] Ishtar being a goddess worshipped by the Phoenicians (and King Salomon) before monotheistic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) were adopted in the area.
Bsharri was the site of a Phoenician settlement in ancient times. Maronite Christians fleeing persecution sought refuge in its mountainous terrain in the 7th Century AD. The Kadisha Valley, below the town, became the spiritual center of the Maronite Church. The town was known as Buissera by the Crusades.
In Lebanon, Bsharri natives are characterized as very courageous and fiercely tribal. They are known across the northern region for their hospitality and their patriotism. They are especially known for their distinct accent when they speak Arabic. Unlike other parts of Lebanon, Aramaic was spoken in Bsharri well into the 19th century. As a result, Bsharri natives developed an unmistakably strong accent which lasts to this day and which they are very proud of. There are 7 Main Families in Bsharri: Sukkar, Chidiac, Kayrouz, Geagea, Rahme, Fakhri, and Tawk. Other families in Bsharri are Arida and Schiba.
During the Lebanese civil war (1975–1990), Bsharri was a bastion of Christian resistance against first the Palestinians and the Syrians. Many of its youth joined the Lebanese Phalanges at the start of the civil war. In 1986 Samir Geagea, a Bsharri native, became head of the Christian Lebanese Forces (LF) movement. Many LF militants were drawn from the town during the civil war. Bsharri natives are often referred to as the defenders of the Maronites in Lebanon.
This town is still neglected by the government, having no university and no projects that provide careers to its youth, forcing them to move to cities and foreign countries.
Today, the town is located in a highly touristic zone including such attractions as the Khalil Gibran Tomb and Museum, Kadisha Valley where Antonios Torbey lived as a hermite in the Hermitage of St. Lichaa down in the valley; the Kadisha Grotto, the Cedars of God forest, a ski resort and Bka'kafra (the birthplace of St Charbel).
Bsharri is home to a Lebanese Red Cross First Aid Center.[2] Also it is home for "The Maronite Scouts" that started their activities in early 2000.
Bsharri has provided two members of parliament to the current Lebanese government, the first person being Mrs Strida Geagea representing the Lebanese forces party. Strida is the wife of the powerful Christian Political leader Samir Geagea who is the leader of the Lebanese Christians Forces. The Oweit are allied with the March 14 political party. It has been suggested that the March 14 political party comfortably represent over 55 per cent of the Lebanese Christian vote in Lebanon. This makes them the largest Christian political voting block in Lebanon.
The other member of the Lebanese Parliament representing the Lebanese forces from Bsharri is from the large Kayrouz family of Bsharri.Elie Kayrouz. The member of parliament is known for his powerful contacts in the banking sector and has been instrumental in organising some up and coming building projects in the Bsharri District.
Bshari residents are also known for their strong Christian faith.Throughout the year there are many Christian celebrations that are held in the town where thousands of local residents gather from neighbouring villages to feast, sing and dance till the early hours of the morning.
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Bsharri has a continental Mediterranean climate (Csb/Dsb, according to the Köppen climate classification), with dry and mild summers and cold, snowy winters.Temperatures in the summer can go above 30C a few times per year while on the other hand, temperatures can plummet to -15C on some occasions during the winter. Heavy snowfall is observed every year and accumulations of over 2 meters are not unheard of.
| Climate data for Bsharri | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 4 (39) |
4 (39) |
6 (43) |
11 (52) |
16 (61) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
20 (68) |
16 (61) |
11 (52) |
7 (45) |
13.3 (56.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0 (32) |
0 (32) |
2 (36) |
7 (45) |
11.5 (52.7) |
15 (59) |
17 (63) |
17.5 (63.5) |
15 (59) |
11.5 (52.7) |
7 (45) |
3.5 (38.3) |
8.9 (48.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −4 (25) |
−4 (25) |
−2 (28) |
3 (37) |
7 (45) |
10 (50) |
12 (54) |
12 (54) |
10 (50) |
7 (45) |
3 (37) |
0 (32) |
4.5 (40.1) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 221 (8.7) |
166 (6.54) |
127 (5) |
61 (2.4) |
31 (1.22) |
4 (0.16) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
6 (0.24) |
39 (1.54) |
97 (3.82) |
172 (6.77) |
924 (36.38) |
| Source: climatetemp | |||||||||||||