Why Baalbek is special
Baalbek in Lebanon is one of the world's grandest archaeological sites. It's hard to imagine the enormity and greatness of the Roman-built Baalbek temples without actually being there.

Temple of Jupiter
This temple was once twice the size of Athens's Parthenon. Another indicator is the size of several of the temple's brick-shaped cut stones - they measure 20 meters (63 feet) in length. The Corinthian pillars that supported the Baalbek temple roof were massive, too. Six still stand (see photo).

Temple of Bacchus
It's one of the largest and best preserved ancient Roman sanctuaries. The Temple of Bacchus (like, the Temple of Jupiter and some other historic Baalbek structures) was severely damaged relatively recently (mid-18th century) by a fierce earthquake. However, today, it’s in better shape than its neighbors.

How Baalbek got its name
Baalbek means "Baal City" in Phoenician. It was named after the sun god Baal, the one now associated with pagan rituals.

What leading travel books say about Baalbek
The temples of Baalbek cannot fail to make a deep impression.
Jordan, Syria & Lebanon
Footprint Handbooks

The Baalbek temples are awesome in their sheer scale.
Jordan, Syria & Lebanon
Footprint Handbooks