# ZAHLEH | The city of wine and poetry



## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)

*Welcome to Zahleh, Lebanon...*
*









A red-roofed town set among the eastern foothills of Mount Sannine, Zahle enjoys a prime location in the Beqaa valley. Snowcapped mountains tower above it in winter, while in summer its 945 meter elevation keeps the air light and dry.










The city center spreads along both banks of the Bardouni River, with the older section of town on the upper elevations of the west bank and the shopping district on the east bank.




























At the northern end of town is the Bardouni river valley known as Wadi El-Arayesh (Grape Vine Valley) – the site of Zahle's famous outdoor restaurants.



















Zahle styles itself "The City of Wine and Poetry", and with good reason. In this century alone some 50 poets and writers were born here and almost as many excellent wines and araks have been produced in the area.










Tucked away from Lebanon's busy coastal centers, the people of Zahle have developed their own brand of individualism and way of doing things.The city's reputation for intellectual vigor comes from a long line of writers, thinkers and poets who have contributed to Lebanon's cultural and political scene.
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## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)

*Courtesy of Georges Wazen*


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## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)




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## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)




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## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)




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## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)

*WINTER IN ZAHLEH*

Courtesy of Chadi Barhoum


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## Parisian Girl (Nov 6, 2007)

Wonderful mix of photos in this thread! Thx, great viewing! :cheers:


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## Rekarte (Mar 28, 2008)

Snow in Lebanon!
Never would imagine that snow in Lebanon!

I like the city,is very beautiful!
how many people have?
if you can, post more photos, I loved the city!


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## MNiemann (Sep 5, 2007)

wow this town looks amazing! especially the first picture.


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## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)

Thanks 



Rekarte said:


> Snow in Lebanon!
> Never would imagine that snow in Lebanon!


It actually snows a lot! Here's a thread dedicated to snow and winter in Lebanon. 



> how many people have?


Zahleh has a population of arround 130,000 to 150,000 inhabitants.


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## DinamiT (Jan 3, 2009)

The city of the wine is OPorto, Portugal :c

But the pics are amazing dude!


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## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)

^^Zahleh is called the city of wine because wine has been produced there since biblical times. One of the most famous wine producers is *Chateau Ksara*:









(courtesy of mc tumshie)









(courtesy of antero59)









(courtesy of andriana)


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Looks very nice and beautiful place


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## Ramazzotti (Apr 23, 2006)

nice thread  thanks


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## samba_man (Dec 26, 2004)

I like the city covered with snow !


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## Arik (Dec 27, 2008)

It looks like a beautiful city! Isn't this where Elyssa is from?


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## Ramazzotti (Apr 23, 2006)

well Najwa Karam was born in Zahle, as for Elissa i don't know


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## LeB.Fr (Jun 11, 2007)

It's where Shakira is from


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## intensivecarebear (Feb 2, 2006)

Never heard of this city, but it looks very beautiful. Thanks for sharing


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

That place with snow is really great :cheers:


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## Ramazzotti (Apr 23, 2006)

Zahleh is also known as "THE BRIDE" of the Békaa


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## Get Smart (Oct 6, 2008)

this city in Lebanon looks great, looking foreward to more beautiful pictures


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## CasaMor (Mar 14, 2008)

I love Lebanon!


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## david chanrion (Oct 4, 2002)

hello to our Lebanese friends 
I have been to Zahle, and it is a very pleasant town but what i reealy appereciate and what amazed me was the incredibly warm welcome of the lebanse people, so preud to share threir country that was so much hurt by different wars. I find the Lebanese people worthy of applause, neverc omplainaing, thoufhsitutasion is not always easy . it s a pity so many lebanese have to leave.I hoope the coomplex local and international geopolitical situation may find a compromise so taht the tensions and war may become a definite part of history fo the Lebanse people and of course thier neighbours.


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## shayan (Oct 9, 2005)

ummm the city of wine roses and poetry is Shiraz... its actually its name and its actually the first place were wine was produced


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## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

Lebanon is such a beautiful, friendly country. Would love to visit somedays!


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## Hassoun (May 10, 2006)

@ Arik and Ramzi  :Elissa is from Deir Al Ahmar , Bekaa


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## Hassoun (May 10, 2006)

More Zahle in winter

courtesy of M.O.S.H.E

January 2009


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## Hassoun (May 10, 2006)

Château Ksara - History of an aged wine 

Chateau ksara, the country’s oldest winery, began life in 1857 when Jesuit FATHERS inherited and began farming a 25 hectare plot of land to produce Lebanon’s first non-sweet red wine. In doing so they laid the foundations of Lebanon’s modern wine industry.

It is worth remembering however that Lebanon’s oldest winery is merely continuing a 5,000-year-old trading tradition. Lebanon sits on the site of ancient Phoenicia, one of the world’s oldest merchant civilizations and one of the first to sell its wines to other nations.

In 1972, the Vatican encouraged its monasteries and missions around the world to sell off any commercial activities. By then, Ksara was a profitable entity, producing over 1 million bottles annually and representing 85% of Lebanese production. When then order to sell came through, the winery was optioned to a consortium of Lebanese businessmen and in August, 1973.

The Jesuits accidental discovery of a grotto, stretching over 2 kilometers, gave the religious men a perfect storing area, which was not too humid and at ideal temperature . It is dug in a limestone rock and it is believed that the grotto dates back to the roman period but its use by the ancient civilization is still unknown.

The cave comprising 6 tunnels which cover 2 km under ksara , were discovered in 1898 and represent perfect conditions for storing wines, as temperatures remains between 13 and 15 C all year round.

40000 tourists per year wind down into the dark, dank grotto peering at ancient tools and bottles entombed in dust and mildew. The cellars contain approximately 900000 bottles ranging from last year’s vintage to a few final examples of the 1918 vintage.

Château Ksara was the first Lebanese winery to introduce “modern” grape varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay et al – into Lebanon in the early 90s, eschewing the sector’s traditional reliance on less fashionable grapes such as Cinsault and Carignan. Today, its vineyards are home to some 20 varieties of grapes for the production of red, white, rosé wines, vin doux (sweet wine) and arak.

At the top are the premium reds: Château Ksara, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot; the single varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cuvée de Troisième Millénaire, Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon flagship red and a blend Cabernet Sauvignon and Verdot. For its 150th anniversary in 2007, Château Ksara has created Le Souverin, a limited edition blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Arinarnoa aged in oak for two years, to celebrate the occasion.

Today, Chateau Ksara’s reputation as Lebanon’s biggest and oldest winery is secure. To produce its 2 million bottles, the winery harvests 2,000 tons of grapes from its 300 hectares at an average yield of 7 tons of grapes per hectare. This is nearly half the yield of some new world producers who, foregoing quality, happily harvest as much as 14 tons per hectare. For Château Ksara, quality is paramount.

The name of Château Ksara dates back to 1857, and has become associated with the three core values: tradition, nobility and modernity. These are emphasized through name and lineage (tradition); through a high-quality product (nobility) and the tremendous innovative advances made since 1991 (modernity).


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## Ramazzotti (Apr 23, 2006)

i like snowy Zahle hehe


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## Darkthekiller (Mar 11, 2009)




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## Darkthekiller (Mar 11, 2009)




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## B-Patriot (Mar 30, 2005)

Lovely pics/city.. On my list of places to visit, next time i'm in Lebanon.. 



shayan said:


> ummm the city of wine roses and poetry is Shiraz... its actually its name and its actually the first place were wine was produced


Not according to Wikipedia... At least not necessarily... 

"Lebanon is the oldest site of wine production in the world. The Phoenicians of its coastal strip were instrumental in spreading wine and viticulture throughout the Mediterranean in ancient times."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanese_wine


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