Byblos: An ancient city with remarkable educational and tourism significance, by Gift Luckson
Byblos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, located on the coast of modern-day Lebanon. The area is believed to have been first settled between 8800 and 7000 BC and continuously inhabited since 5000 BC.
During its history, Byblos was part of numerous cultures including Egyptian, Phoenician, Assyrian, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Genoese, Mamluk and Ottoman. Urbanisation is thought to have begun during the third millennium BC when it developed into a city, making it one of the oldest cities in the world.
Founders
Byblos is believed to have been established by the Phoenicians. It was a major port city and centre of trade, especially in papyrus, which is how it got its name — “Byblos” means book in Greek, and it’s the root of the word Bible.
The city played a key role in spreading the Phoenician alphabet, which influenced modern writing systems.
Cultural Heritage
Byblos’s inhabitants are significantly Christian, mostly Maronite, with minorities of Armenian Apostolic, Greek Orthodox, and Greek Catholics. There is also a minority of Shia and Sunni Muslims. It is said that the predominantly Shi`i city of Bint Jbeil (“Daughter of Byblos”) in Southern Lebanon was founded by Shi`a migrants from Byblos. Byblos has three representatives in the Parliament of Lebanon: two Maronites and one Shi`i Muslim.
It is home to ancient temples, Phoenician ruins, Crusader castles, and Roman structures and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Education and Tourism
Byblos is home to the professional schools of the Lebanese American University (LAU). The LAU Byblos Campus houses the Medical School, the Engineering School, the School of Architecture and Design, and the Pharmacy School, which offers the only Pharm.D. Programme outside the United States accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the School of Business, and the School of Arts and Sciences.
Byblos is re-emerging as an upscale touristic hub with its ancient port, Phoenician, Roman, and Crusader ruins, sandy beaches and the picturesque mountains that surround it making it an ideal tourist destination.
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The city is known for its fish restaurants, open-air bars, and outdoor cafes. Yachts cruise into its harbour today as they did in the 1960s and 1970s when Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra were regular visitors to the city.
Byblos was crowned as the “Arab Tour Capital” for the year 2016 by the Lebanese Minister of Tourism in the Grand Serail in Beirut. Byblos was chosen by Condé Nast Traveller as the second best city in the Middle East for 2012, beating Tel Aviv and Dubai, and by the World Tourism Organisation as the best Arab tourist city for 2013.
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