Zahlé (Arabic: زحلة; also transliterated Zahleh or Zahleh) is the capital of Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon. With around 200,000 inhabitants (mostly Christian), it is the third largest city in Lebanon. The city is situated 52 km (32.31 mi) east of the Lebanese capital Beirut
Situated in the heart of Zahlé, on the Berdawni River, Hotel Kadri is a five star hotel where many Lebanese officials and dignitaries have used. The hotel was constructed according to traditional Lebanese architecture, characterized by arcades and stone. The building used to be used as a hospital by the Ottomans during World War One. Today, the hotel houses a health club, tennis courts, a pool and a restaurant.
Our Lady of Zahle is a fifty meter high tower topped with a ten meter high bronze statue of the Virgin Mary. This impressive structure is located in the east of Zahle, and is famous for its impressive views of Zalhe and the Beqaa. The statue of the Virgin Mary is the work of the Italian artist Perrioti. At the base of Our Lady of Zahle is a chapel that can seat a little over of a hundred people.
It is speculated that the name Zahlé is derived from the Arabic verb زحل zahhala, which means to push away, to dislodge, to displace. The occasional landslides which take place in the area around the city may have been the origin of its name.
No comments:
Post a Comment