Signifying Monastery of the Moon, Deir el-Qamar is a small and charming Christian town located in a serene environment just an one hour away from Beirut.

In 1590, Deir al-Qamar became the capital of Mount Lebanon after a water shortage in Baaqline forced Fakhr el-Dine Maan II to shift his power base to another location. At the beginning of the 19th century, after the migration of Emir Shehab II, Deir el-Qamar slowly lost its position to Beiteddine. For the Druze, the town remained the center of their feudal power during the 19th century and between 1841 and 1860, it became the scene of bloody conflicts between the Druze and the Christians. 

Deir el-Qamar’s laid-back atmosphere, medieval architecture, traditional houses and cobble stone streets are definitely worth a few hours’ visit.

 

MOUSSA CASTLE
Located between Deir el-Qamar and Beiteddine, the castle of Moussa (+961 (0)5 500 106, www.moussacastle.com) is reminiscent of a Playmobil castle. The story behind this castle is of a fourteen year old boy dreaming of living in a castle while drawing his blue prints during class. The teacher who caught him, punished him telling the boy he would never live in a castle. Frustrated by this and mocked by his classmates and girlfriend, he decided to leave school. He soon got a job in reconstruction and while renovating the Sea Crusader Castle in Saida, he became inspired. Many historical buildings would follow and after saving sufficient money, he decided to buy a piece of land, where in 1962 he started to build the castle by cutting and laying every stone by himself. After four years of hard work he began to receive visitors attracted by the carved stones and towers of what soon became a local landmark. The place was formally opened to visitors and tourists in 1967, yet the final section of the building was not finished until 2012. The castle, a slightly odd place, displays traditional Lebanese figures, historical scenes and a weapon collection.