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A unique Phoenician site in Lebanon
The Temple of Echmoun, less than an hour from Beirut, is
situated one kilometer from Sidon in a lush valley of citrus
groves on the Awwali River. The site is known locally as
“Bustan esh-Sheikh.” Whether you visit in spring when the
air is fragrant with blossoms, or early winter when the fruit is
ripe, Echmoun is a special place to visit.
This Phoenician temple complex, dedicated to the healing
god Echmoun, is the only Phoenician site in Lebanon that has
retained more than its foundation stones. Building was begun
at the end of the 7th century B.C., and later additions were
made in the following centuries. Therefore, many elements
near the original temple site were completed long after the
Phoenician era, including a Roman-period colonnade, mosaics,
a nympheum, and the foundations of a Byzantine church. All
of these structures testify to the site’s lasting importance.
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