Bsharri

Bsharri ( other spellings: Bsharri, Becharre, Bcharré, Bsharre; Arab بشري Bsharri ) is the capital of the eponymous district in Lebanon, about 1450 m above sea level above the Wadi Qadischas. The place is located in the northern part of Mount Lebanon. Bsharri is the birthplace of the poet, painter and sculptor Khalil Gibran.

History

Bsharri is located on the site of an ancient settlement of the Phoenicians. Maronites, who fled the religious persecution, settled here in the 7th century. The Wadi Qadischa that lies below the town, was the spiritual center of the Maronite Church. At the time of the Crusades the city under the name Buissera was known. In contrast to other parts of Lebanon, the Aramaic language Bsharri was spoken until well into the 19th century. For this reason, the accent of the locals is distinctive to this day. During the Lebanese civil war Bsharri was a bastion of Christian resistance against leftist and Islamist forces. Samir Geagea, who comes from Bsharri, 1986 Chairman of the Christian movement Lebanese Forces (FL ) in years. Today, the city is in an area with a number of tourist destinations, including the grave of Gibran and its museum, the Wadi Qadischa with the " Cedars of the Lord " and the Les Cedars ski area.

Personality

• Anton Peter Arida (1863-1955), Lebanese Archbishop and Patriarch of Antioch
• Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), Lebanese -American painter, philosopher and poet