Hlaliye – Archaeology and Historical Points of Interest

If you take historical interests into account when choosing a hotel, the points of interest in Hlaliye offer a specific theme: an archaeological cave, two castles and an old well. An archaeological identification and three sites listed as monuments stand side by side. The South Lebanon Governorate also offers distinct cultural and landscape themes as a broader regional context.

Archaeological and Historical Points of Interest in Hlaliye

At El Hlâlîyé, east of Saida, an archaeological cave was identified as a Roman tomb. The discovery was reported in 1998. The year therefore dates the report of the discovery; it is not the date of the tomb. This makes the cave the precise archaeological point of interest in the local selection.

In the Al-Hlaliyeh section of a visitor map of Saida, Nassib Beik Joumblatt Castle, Sheikh Elias Al-Hachem Castle and the old well of Al-Hlaliyeh are listed as monuments. The map thus lists two castles and a well together as monuments; the cave, by contrast, is characterized by its archaeological identification.

South Lebanon Governorate: Further Cultural and Landscape Themes

In the South Lebanon Governorate, the Tyre World Heritage Site consists of two separate areas: the site on the promontory of the present-day city and the El Bass necropolis on the mainland. The city site includes the remains of Roman baths, two palaestras, an arena, a Roman colonnaded street and a residential quarter. A palaestra was a place for physical exercise in antiquity; the two palaestras add a distinct building type to the other features listed. Also included are the remains of a cathedral built by the Venetians in 1127 and parts of the walls of an old Crusader castle.

The Tyre El Bass area includes the remains of a necropolis and a wide monumental street, overlooked by a Roman triumphal arch dating from the 2nd century AD. A necropolis is a burial ground. The dates refer to different structures: 1127 to the cathedral, and the 2nd century AD to the triumphal arch. The city site combines urban remains with the remains of a cathedral and a Crusader castle; El Bass is characterized by its necropolis, monumental street and triumphal arch.

Another cultural theme in the South Lebanon Governorate is the Audi Foundation Soap Museum. The Audi Foundation Soap Museum includes a vaulted room, old tools for traditional soapmaking and exhibits on bathhouses. The focus here is on craftsmanship and bathhouse culture, in contrast to the archaeological structures of Tyre.

Jezzine Waterfall adds a landscape dimension to the regional context: it lies 904 meters above sea level and is regarded as the fifth-highest waterfall in the world and the highest in the Middle East. Unlike the archaeological sites or the Soap Museum, it is described by its elevation and its ranking beyond the region.

For the broader travel overview: Saida.