Qadisha

Qadisha,one of the deepest and most beautiful valleys in Lebanon, is indeed a world a part. At the bottom of this wild steep-sided gorge runs the Qadisha River whose source is in the Qadisha Grotto at the foot of the Cedars. And above the famous Cedar grove stands Qornet es Sawda, Lebanon's highest peak.
The word Qadisha comes from a Semitic root meaning "holy" and Wadi Qadisha is the "Holy Valley." Filled with caves and rock shelters inhabited from the third millennium B.C. to the Roman period, the valley is scattered with cave chapels, hermitages and monasteries cut from rock. Since the Early Middle Ages generations of monks , hermits, ascetics and anchorites found asylum here. Even Moslem Soufis were found in this valley.

At the town of Tourza the valley divides into two branches, each named for a monastery there: Wadi Qannoubin leading to the Cedars. A path goes along the bottom of the valley through an area called "Bain an-Nahrain" (Between the Two Rivers) where Wadi Qannoubin meets Wadi Qadisha. From here trails lead to the various sites.

The Qadisha Valley area is surrounded by many important sites and villages like: Bqaa Kafra highest village of Lebanon (1750 m), Qornet Es Sawda; the highest peak in Lebanon (3088 m), Hasroun; one of the last villages in Lebanon to preserve its traditional red-roofed houses; Qadisha grotto located between Bsharreh and the Cedars; Deir Mar Elishaa (Monastery of St. Elieus); Deir Qannoubin built into the rock, Deir Mar Antonios Qozhaya (Monastery of St. Anthony Qozhaya), Our Lady of Hawqa's chapel, etc... and the nice village of Ehden.

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