From Chtaura,
proceed along the Damascus road to Masnaa (border post). Just
before the post turn right, toward Rashaya. This is where Lebanon's
early national leaders, including Bshara El-Khoury and Riad
El-Solh, were held by French mandate authorities during the
1943 rebellion that triggered Lebanon's independence. Their
prison was an eighteenth century citadel that can be visited
today.
The Lebanese
Army, which is now stationed at the castle, will assign a. guide
to show you around the old vaulted chambers and the rooms where
the Lebanese patriots were held.
The town
of Rashaya, in a remote corner of Lebanon, has been only lightly
touched by the modern building boom affecting most of the country.
On its cobbled main street small shops sell old fashioned oil
stoves, reflecting the needs of this chilly mountain town where
the giant Mount Hermon (snow-covered six months of the year)
looms overhead. This town is also known for its locally made
gold and silver jewellery.
On the way
to Rashaya from Chtaura try to take the route through the hilltop
town of Sultan Yaqub, where there are spectacular views
of the valley below. Turn right at Marj and continue through
Khiara toward' Sultan Yaqub. This town, visible for miles around
in every direction, also makes a good landmark.
Aiha
(Extract from tourist brochure on local village)
Take
the Rashaya road from Masnaa and continue four kilometers on
to Aiha, parking near the pond at the centre of the village.
Aiha is built on the foundations of numerous Roman temples and
structures. In some cases Roman walls have been reused in present-day
houses and once-visible temple foundations have disappeared
into modern structures as basements. At one household, a stone
relief carving of a robed figure sits in the yard. Alongside
it is an ancient stone well and temple debris.
Numerous
column drums, mouldings and dressed stones have been incorporated
into the walls in the village's northwest section, and massive
retaining walls of the Roman enclosure terrace can still be
seen - now as part of modern houses.
Aiha's
residents will gladly show you around their intriguing town,
Ain
Harsha
(Extract from tourist brochure on key local site)
From
Chtaura drive in the direction of the border post with Syria,
(Masnaa), but turn right toward Rashaya just before the post.
Continue through the villages of Dahr El-Ahmar and Labia to
Ain Harsha village whose high-walled terraces wind their way
around the curves of the hillsides.
From
here you have to walk. The rocky, exposed path (steep at first
but levelling off) from the top of the village leads to the
temple through a wild and beautiful landscape. On the walk,
which takes about forty minutes, farmers and shepherds will
greet you on your way and willingly give directions and colourful
renditions of the history of the temple. The temple can also
be reached by walking down from the higher village of Ain Ata.
One
of the best preserved temples on Mount Hermon, Ain Harsha, is
built of local limestone and blends in so well that it is virtually
camouflaged among the rocky crags and boulders. A large stone
(broken in two) in front of the temple, carries an inscription
in Greek that dates it to 114-115 AD. The temple was restored
in 1938-39 and the west wall-the side you see as you approach-is
so perfect it is easily mistaken for modern. Around the temple
are more remnants of ancient habitation, including sarcophagi.
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Section
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Section
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