Byblos

Byblos, or Jbeil, on the coast north of Beirut, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose history stretches back over seven thousand years. So ancient and important was this Phoenician port, a great centre of trade that gave its name to the Bible and papyrus, that it is where, some believe, the alphabet was developed. Today, layer upon layer of history can be walked through: Neolithic and Phoenician remains, Roman colonnades, and a well-preserved medieval Crusader castle, all overlooking a beautiful, picturesque old fishing harbour, an atmospheric souk, and cafes, making Byblos one of the most charming and historically rich towns in the Mediterranean.

History

The area is believed to have been first settled between 8800 and 7000 BC and has been continuously inhabited since 5000 BC, and in the 3rd millennium BC it grew into a town of well-built houses, one of the oldest cities in the world. Egyptian records name it as early as the reign of Sneferu, around 2600 BC, and its trade in Egyptian papyrus was so important that byblos came to mean papyrus in Greek; five royal inscriptions of about 1150-950 BC show a Phoenician alphabet of twenty-two letters, and the royal necropolis holds the tomb of King Ahiram. The First Crusade revived its fortunes from 1098, and in the 12th and 13th centuries, as Gibelet, it belonged to the County of Tripoli, with the Embriaco family's castle as an important Crusader base. Ernest Renan made the first excavation in 1860, Pierre Montet dug from 1921 to 1924 and Maurice Dunand for forty years from 1925, and the city is a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Byblos).

Highlights

• The ancient ruins - the Phoenician, Roman and Neolithic remains.
• The Crusader castle - the well-preserved medieval fortress.
• The old harbour - the picturesque fishing port.
• The old souk - the atmospheric market and cafes.

When to go

Spring, April to June, and autumn, September to October, for the mildest, most pleasant weather on the coast; the town is charming year-round, with the old harbour especially lovely in the evening light.

Good to know

As one of the oldest cities on earth, with its extraordinary layers of ancient history, Crusader castle and picturesque old harbour and souk, Byblos is a genuinely charming, atmospheric and historically profound highlight of the Mediterranean.

Nearby

Beirut, the Jeita Grotto and the coast of Mount Lebanon are within reach.

Key facts