Sidon
Sidon, on the coast 48 km south of Beirut, is the capital of the southern Lebanon and one of the famous names in ancient history, inhabited as long as 4000 B.C. But of all of Lebanon's cities this is the most mysterious, for its past has been tragically scattered and plundered. It was one of the third great Phoenician city states and reached its height during the Persian Empire (550-330 B.C.). In its wealth, commercial initiative, and religious significance, Sidon is said to have surpassed all other Phoenician City states.
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Sites worth visiting are
the 13th Century Crusader sea castle, the old vaulted
souks, Khan Al-Franj, the great mosque, the fortress
church of St. John, and the castle of St.Louis. Sidon is a busy commercial center with the pleasant, conservative atmosphere of a small town, surrounded by citrus and banana plantation. |