Faqra Ruins

Faqra sits at around fifteen hundred metres on the flank of Mount Lebanon, a Roman sanctuary of the first and second centuries AD scattered across a field of weathered limestone. There are two temples, an altar, a Byzantine church built later on the site, and a square tower carved with an inscription naming the emperor Claudius. The rock formations around them are the other half of the appeal: the limestone is deeply eroded into fins and hollows, and snow lies over the whole site through the winter.

What you actually see

• The great temple - the main Roman sanctuary with standing columns.
• The tower - a square structure carrying a first-century inscription.
• The Byzantine church - a later building raised within the Roman complex.
• The eroded limestone - weathered rock formations spread across the plateau.

When to go

May to October is the season; snow covers the site from December to April. Spring flowering on the plateau is the best time. Afternoons can bring cloud up the mountain.

Honest expectations

There is no fencing, no ticket office and no interpretation. The site is exposed with no shade or shelter. The access road is rough beyond the ski resort.

Nearby

The Kfardebian natural bridge is nearby, and Mzaar ski area is above.