Beiteddine

43 km away from Beirut, 850 meters above the sea level. The most important monument in the village is the Beiteddine palace complex, Lebanon's best example of early 19 th century Lebanese architecture. The palace was built over a thirty year period by Emir Bechir II, who ruled Mount-Lebanon for more than half a century.

The palace remained the emir's residence until his forced exile in 1840.After the Ottomans suppressed the emirate in 1842 the building was used by the Ottoman authorities as the government residence. Later, under the french mandate folowing world war 1, it was used for local administrative purposes.
Today Beiteddeine, with its museums and its gardens, is one of Lebanon's major tourist attractions.

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