Balamand Monastery
A twelfth-century Cistercian abbey above the Koura plain, later Orthodox, now sharing a hill with a university.
Saved in this browser only - no account, nothing sent anywhere. See your map
Balamand was founded in 1157 by Cistercians who came with the Crusader states, and the church, cloister and vaulted ranges they built survive, plain and heavy in the way Cistercian work is. After the Crusader withdrawal the site passed to the Greek Orthodox church, which has held it since the fourteenth century, and it is now the seat of a patriarchal monastery with a library of manuscripts and icons. A university was built on the same hill in 1988.
What you actually see
- The Cistercian church - the twelfth-century abbey church, plain and vaulted.
- The cloister - the medieval courtyard and surrounding ranges.
- The icon collection - Orthodox icons and manuscripts held by the monastery.
- The Koura view - olive country spread below the hill towards the sea.
When to go
April to November is comfortable. The monastery keeps visiting hours around its services and closes at midday. Term time brings university traffic to the hill.
Honest expectations
It is an active monastery and access to parts is restricted. The university buildings crowd the medieval core. Modest dress is required.
Nearby
Tripoli is fifteen kilometres north, and Enfeh is on the coast below.
What to pack for Balamand Monastery
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
