Baalbek is a city located east of the Litani River in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, about 67 km (42 mi) northeast of Beirut. It is the capital of Baalbek-Hermel Governorate. In 1998, Baalbek had a population of 82,608, mostly Shia Muslims, followed by Sunni Muslims and Christians.
Baalbek
Reconstruction of Temple of Jupiter/Baalbek
Corinthian capitals ornamenting the columns of the Temple of Bacchus
The probable remains of a medieval mosque in front of some of the Mamluk fortifications
The Litani River, the classical Leontes, is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding 140 km in length, the Litani is the longest river in Lebanon and provides an average annual flow estimated at 920 million cubic meters. The waters of the Litani both originate and flow entirely within the borders of Lebanon. It provides a major source for water supply, irrigation and hydroelectricity both within Southern Lebanon, and the country as a whole.
The Litani River in maroon, the Lebanese capital city Beirut in red
Image: Litani river 2
The Upper Litani Basin (ULB)
The ancient Crusader Beaufort Castle famously overlooks the Litani River.
