i
MUSEUMS A N D MONUMENTS
1
i
b
- VI
suggestions
and for the sarrroandings
oftbe Bmlbek Acropolis
M U S E U M S A N D M O N U M E N T S - VI
Titles in the same series
I.
11.
111.
IV.
Sites &Monuments :problem of today.IOO pp., I I 5 ills., plans, index,
2nd ed. 1953, 12 1/8 x 9 1/4in. (bilingual).
$3.00 1616 700 fr.
The Care of Paintings. 164 .pp.,87 ills., diag., graphs, index.
2nd ed. 1952,1 2 118 9 1/4ins.(bilingual). $2.25 14/6 700fr.
CU~CO:
reconstruction of the town and restoration of its monuments,
58 pp., 64 ills. andmaps,19j2, 1 2 1/8 x 9 114 ins. (also inFrench
and Spanish).
$1.50 8/6 400 fr.
Saint-Sophia of Ochriah :preservation and restoration of the building and
itsfrescoes. 28 pp.,37 ills.and maps, 1953, 1 2 1/8 x 9 1/4ins.(also
x
in French).
V.
$1.00
51-
250
fr.
Manual qf Travelling Exhibitions. I I Z pp., 18 diags., 70 ills.,1953,
8 112
7 ins. (also in French).
$1.75 1016 500 fr.
VI. Lebanon :suggestionsfor the plan of Tripoli and for the surroundings of
the Baalbek Acropolis. 48 pp., I map, 7 diags., 44 ills., 1954,
1 2 1/8 x 9 1/4ins. (also in French).
$1.25
716 3 5 0 fr.
vrr. Syria :probhms of preservation and presentation of sites ana' monuments.
52 pp.,61 ills.,3 maps, 1954,12 1/8 x 9 1/4 ins. (alsoinFrench).
$1.50 8/6 400 fr.
VIII. Les techniquesde protection des biens culturels en cas de conflit arme'.2 2 2 pp.,
1 1 2 figs., 117 ills.,1954 (8 1/2 X 7 ins.).
$5.50
301- 1.500 fr.
x
LEBANON
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE
PLAN O F TRIPOLI
A N D FOR THE SURROUNDINGS
OF THE BAALBEK ACROPOLIS
R E P Q R ’ C OF T H E UNESC;O MISSION O F 1 9 ~ 3
P A U L C O L L A R T , H E A D O F MISSlON
E M I R M A U R l C E C H E H A B A N D A R M A N D O DILLON
U N E S C O
Printed in France
CUA.yz.X.6A
CONTENTS
l7ORli.WORD
TRIPOLI
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The T o m and iis Historical Development
Present state .
Historical development
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The Monuments of Tripoli
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Christian churches
Military buildings.
Mosques
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Madrasahs
Hammams
Khans
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Replanning of the Old
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The problem of the old town
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13ibliogmphy .
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Enhancement of the him
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Critical study of the 1947 plans for the town
Proposed plans for the old town . .
Consideration of a few specific points
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T h e Ruins ai Baalbek
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The character of the old quarters
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Other buildings .
BAALBEEC
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N O T E O N T H E ILLUSTRATIONS
The plans of Tripoli and Baalbek included in the report, and the architectural surveys reproduced in the plates, were prepared from material supplied
by the Lebanese Service of Antiquities.
Photographs Nos. 11, 13, 19,20, 23 and 29 are from the collection of the Lebanese Service of Antiquities; aerial photographs Nos. I, 5 and 38 were
kindly supplied by the Institut FranGais d'Archtologie, Beirut.
0
FOREWORD
T
of the mission oi experts set up by Unesco at
the request of the Lebanese Government w a s to study
on the spot:
I. The general situation of the monuments in the town of
Tripoli, taking into account both their historical and artistic value and the needs of the expanding modern town.
z. The general steps to be taken to safeguard such of these
monuments as it is imperative to preserve or enhance.
3. The work required for the enhancement of the aforesaid
monuments.
4. The proposed work for the enhancement of the Baalbek
Acropolis.
So far as Tripoli, in particular, was concerned,the Lebanese
Directorate of Antiquities thought it necessary to secure an
impartial, authoritative opinion. O n the one hand, it was
alive to the historical and artistic value of many of the town’s
buildings,and to the distinctivecharacter ofits bazaars (measures
for their preservation had, indeed,already been taken on various occasions). O n the other hand, it was disturbed by the
fact that the municipality had adopted and was even beginning to put into effect a plan for the extension of the town;
for the*planwould make it most difficult to preserve all the
old town’s monuments.
The mission consisted of Mr.Paul Collart,Professor at the
Universities of Geneva and Lausanne (Head), Mr.Armando
Dillon, Superintendent of Historical Monuments at Palermo,
and Emir Maurice Chehab, Director of the Lebanese Service
of Antiquities;it carried out eight weeks’field work at Beirut
and Tripoli from mid-April to the end of May, and at Baalbek
during the first half of August 1953. The mission received
most willing and efficient help from the Service of Antiquities,
which immediately prepared for its use files of valuable docuII~: task
ments and secured for it the obliging and able services of
Mr.Amine Bezri,architect.
It wishes to express its gratitude for the friendly courtesy
shown by Dr.Najib Sadaka, Director-Generalof the Ministry
of Education and the Fine Arts, Sheikh Majid el-Khury,Head
of the Ofice of the Administrator of the Moafza of North
Lebanon, Mr. Nureddine Salhab, Director of the Moslem
Wakfs,Mr.Ashraf Kabbara, Chief Engineer,Head ot the Technical Office of the hlunicipality of Tripoli, and Mr.Mustapha
bey Karame, Director ofthe Municipality of Tripoli.
It would also like to convey its special thanks for the valuable
help received in Beirut from Mr.Gabriel Shar, architectural
engineer,Head of the Technical Service for Municipalities and
Town Planning of the Lebanese Republic, who continually
took an active interest in its work, and Mr.Henri Seyrig, Director of the Institut Fransais d’Archkologie,who placed at its
disposal the Institute’s library and collection of photographs;
and in Tripoli from Sheikh Kame1 el-Baba, who served
as its guide and obtained a mass of useful information
for it.
And, though Emir Maurice Chehab was himself a member of
the mission, the two foreign members would like to take this
opportunity of expressing their appreciation of the welcome
he extended to them,his thoughtfulness,and his kind and ever
valuable co-operation.As this report deals with very particular
problems,the Lebanese Service of Antiquities,which he directs
with such enthusiasm and ability,will not often be mentioned
in the following pages. At the outset, attention should be
drawn to the useful work that this service is doing, and to
the success it has achieved in the sphere of archaeological
excavations and restoration of monuments and in the organization of the Beirut Museum.
7
TRIPOLI
THE T O W N
A N D ITS HISTORICAL D E V E L O P M E N T
PRESENT STATE
T
consists of two separate parts-the
town
proper (al-Madina), by far the larger, and its
harbour (al-Mina), with a vast expanse of gardens in
between.
The town, situated some three to four kilometres inland,
spreads unevenly along both banks of the Nahr Abu-Ali (local
name of the Nahr Qadisha), at the point where the river flows
out into the plain after cutting through the slopes forming the
lowerspursofthe Lebanon range. O n the left side ofthe deeply
embanked river is a hill where stand the ruins of the castle,
or Qalaat Sanjil (Saint-Gilles); this is the Pilgrimage Mountain
of the crusaders,now known as Abu-Samra. At its foot and
stretching up the slope are the town’s old quarters with their
lively suqs (bazaars) and ancient monuments-khans (caravanserais), hammams (baths), mosques and madrasahs (Mohammedan colleges). O n the right bank, which can be
reached by two bridges, is another old quarter, backed by
the Kubba hillside.
The modern town is steadily expanding in all directions
around the old town-up the hills overlooking the town and
RIPOLI
over the rear plateaux; along the roads to Beirut and Latakia;
over the plain towards the sea, making deep inroads into the
garden area and also encroaching on the old quarters.
The harbour (al-Mina) occupies a peninsula which is continued out to sea by a string of islands and rocky islets. Near
this point, a sweet water spring mentioned by early Arab
authors rises in the sea. There is a breakwater to shelter the
harbour,which is mainly used by oil tankers and sponge fishers, and a railway runs along the shore. The station is alongside the Lions Tower,an impressive structure standing on the
sea front away from the main town.
The gardens covering an area of I,IJO hectares on the wellirrigated coastal plain, have been the amazement of all travellers, so profuse is their growth; they are still as they were
described by Nasiri Khusraw in the eleventh century “great
plantations of sugar cane and abundance of sweet and bitter
orange-trees, banana-trees, lemon-trees and date-palms”.
N o less striking are the olive groves, sheltering various crops,
on the plateau which rises gently inland from the town for some
twenty kilometres to the foot of the mountains.
HISTORICAL D E V E L O P M E N T
Tripoli as w e now know it bears the stamp of its historical separate quarters, occupied respectively by citizens from Tyre,
development.Each period has left its traces in the growth of Sidon and Aradus at the time when it became the seat of a
Phoenician confederation under Persian rule in the fourth
the town.
century D.C. W e thus see that Tripoli was originally a Phoenician city built like other trading centres along this coast,on
a promontory or an island. But neither the date of its foundation nor its native name are known.
ANTIQUITY
Contemporary coins testify to the existence of several places
of worship. But few traces are left of the work of the
The ancient city of Tripoli was on the seashore where the port Seleucids and, later of the Romans, who must have
is now situated. As its Greek name implies,it comprised three helped to beautify the town. Tripoli does not seem to
9
have been an important centre at that time, for it is seldom
mentioned.
A R A B CONQUEST
After being plundered and burnt and again damaged in
1200 by earthquakes, a rebuilt Tripoli soon
recovered its prosperity. After the fall ofJerusalem,it became
one of the chief centres of the crusaders, who renamed it
Triple. As the seat ofa Roman bishopric,it possessed convents,
hospitals and churches;its schools taught philosophy and medicine. It carried on a flourishing trade and manufactures,exporting silk and camlet;in the twelfth century it is reputed to have
had 4,000 looms.
The castle built in the twelfth century on Pilgrimage Mountain on the site of the Count of Toulouse’s camp, and still
bearing in a slightly modified form the name of Saint-Gilles,
soon became the centre of a busy, lively district. Churches
sprang up at its foot; perhaps even a European residential
district. This was the beginning of the modern city which
expanded under the impetus of later events.
In any case, this is the only district that still has a few remains
of the twelfth- and thirteenth-century Christian monuments
referred to in contemporary writings. They might be brief1158, 1170 and
Tripoli was destroyed by an earthquake in the sixth century
A.D. but was rebuilt fairly soon for it put up a stout resistance to Muawiya’s army in 635 . After being starved out,the
inhabitants were withdrawn by sea and a colony of Jews and
Persians were brought to the town which was renamed Trabulus
(nowTarablus)by theArabs. Likeall Syria,it subsequentlycame
under the rule of the Omayad caliphs, the Abbassid sultans
and the Egyptian Fatimids. In the tenth century the Byzantine
emperors made several vain attempts. to recapture the city.
It became the chief town of a province and remained so until
the arrival of the crusaders.
During this period Tripoli grew into an active flourishing
city. Its extensive trade with the whole Mediterranean area ly listed as follows:
and the amazing fertility of its gardens were extolled by Arab I. Castle: foundations;lower part of the walls and towers of
the eastern fasade;inside door;wall and pillar ofthe chapel
authors,especially Nasiri Khusraw in 1047. At that time the
(No. I).
town had a Shiite population of zo,ooo. It manufactured and
2. St. John’s Church on Pilgrimage Mountain: lower courses of
exported materials and was also renowned as a centre of learnthe walls showing the ground plan, in the Maronite cemeing. Its library, the famous “Palace of Learning”, contained
tery to the south of the castle (No. 40).
over IOO,OOO volumes but was burnt down when the crusaders
3.
Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Muy, known as St. MaV
seized the town.
of the Tower: north door (insideand outside faces) and square
tower, all incorporated in the Grand Mosque (No. 2);
door and corbel used again for the eastern entrance to the
court
(ibid.); capitals of columns of the doorway of the
CRUSADES
al-Qartawiyat madrasah (No. 3) ; perhaps cushioned arch
of the al-Shameiyat madrasah (No. za).
In 1099 Raymond de Saint-Gilles,Count of Toulouse, laid 4. Carmelite church: nave and aisles incorporated in the Tylan
Mosque (No. 31).
siege to Tripoli. Unable to take the town,he settled somedistance from the sea on a hill that was called the Pilgrimage Moun- 5. Latin inscription and carved lintel: at the entrance of the
tain, and died there in 1105before the end of the siege. It
Izz ad-din hammam (No. 11).
was not until 4 July 1109that Tripoli was taken,with the help 6. Pillars and segment of vadt in a narrow street of the lower
town.
of the Genoese.
M O N U M E N T S O F TRIPOLI
No. on
No. on
No. on
pfan
plan
plan
Castle (Qalaat Sanjil).
Grand Mosque.
za. Al-Shamsiyat madrasah.
2b. Anonymous madrasah.
3. Al-Qartawiyat madrasah.
4. Al-Nuri h a m m a m .
5. Al-Nuriyat madrasah.
6. Al-Malek al-Nasir madrasah.
7. Al-Khayriyat Hasan madrasah.
8. Oblique arch and vaulted alley.
9. Al-Tuwayshiyatmadrasah.
IO. Al-Sabun khan.
I I. Izz ad-din hammam.
12. Al-Khayyitin khan.
I 3. Al-Attarmosque.
I.
2.
IO
14. Al-Misriyin khan.
1.5. Al-Qadriyat madrasah.
16. Al-Uwaysiyatmosque.
‘7. A b d al-Wahed mosque.
I 8. Al-Zahriyat madrasah.
19. Al-Burtasiyat madrasah.
20. Bakia Ghanem.
21. Al-Harajsuq.
22. Al-Tawbat mosque.
22a. Al-Dabbaghin mosquc.
23. Al-Manzil khan.
24. Byzantine relics and multifoil
2.5. Al-Saqraqiyat madrasah.
26. Al-Khatuniyat madrasah.
27. Arghun Shah mosque.
Al-Tahhim mosque.
Al-Muallaq mosque.
Khankah.
Al-Thatfountain.
Al-Jadid h a m m a m .
Tylan mosque.
Lions Tower (Burj al-Sibaa).
Al-Askar khan.
Al-Zurayqiyat madrasah.
Al-Ajamiyatmadrasah.
Al-Rifaiyat madrasah.
Al-Umariyat madrasah.
Mosque in ruins.
Al-Hajeb hammam.
St. John’s Church.
@
Plan of Tripoli.
MAMELUKES
’
Saladin,the conqueror of Jerusalem,tried in vain about 1189,
to retake Tripoli as well;but another century was to elapse before the town surrendered to the Mameluke sultans who were
then endeavouring to free Syria from the Mongols and the
crusaders. After the capture of Antioch (May 1268), Bybars
laid waste its territory,and the fall of the Krak des Chevaliers
(1271)placed it in a precarious position. Tripoli in its turn
was attacked by Sultan Qalaun and captured,on 27 April I 289,
after 24-days’siege. The town was once again destroyed and
its castle burnt; many of its inhabitants lost their lives. A
poem by Gabriel Barkalay,Bishop of Nicosia, describes these
happenings in moving terms.
They had lasting repercussions on the fate of the town. As
a safeguard against any possible return of the crusaders, who
were then driven back to Cyprus, and perhaps against earthquakes as well,Qalaun had the town rebuilt about three kilometres inland at the foot of the Pilgrimage Mountain. Towers
were built along the shore to ward off invaders. Such was
the origin of the present town which,though transferred inland,
retained its old name on this new site, whilst the Greek name
of the port al-Mina (AL~,$JZ) on the site of the old town is
now the only reminder of its remote past.
The town of Tripoli is thus a creation of the Mameluke
sultans, who made it the chief centre of one of their empire’s
provinces. Under their impetus,the town soon recovered its
commercial, industrial and cultural prosperity. Religious
schools (madrasahs) were founded in large numbers for the
spread of Sunnite learning. Contemporary buildings and
writings alike testify to its activity and wealth at that time.
“It was a flourishing city, with the largest port in Syria; its
mosques, baths, bazaars and markets were famous. Its main
articles of trade were silk,manufactured in Tripoli itself or the
surrounding district, oil, soap and chemicals such as potash,
ammonia and soda.” Several decrees were promulgated at this
time to grant privileges or lay down regulations for these
industries.
Hence the most interesting buildings in Tripoli and by far
the most numerous date from this period. They exhibit
the distinctive features of Mameluke art and thus make for a
uniform style throughout the town. W e have endeavoured
to draw up a chronological list of these buildings. Where
two dates are given,the second is taken from an Arabic manuscript or inscription,dated accordingto the Hegira,mentioning
an exact date.
I. Grand Mosqtle (No. 2). Begun by Sultan Qalaun and
completed by his sons Khalil and Nasir: alteration of the
door and foundation of the building by Khalil in 1294
(693 A.H.); construction of the arcades of the court by
Nasir in I 3 I 5 (715 A.H.); Emir Qaratay’s pulpit in October
1326 (726 A.H.).
2. Al-Zwqqiyatmadrasah (No. 34). Founded by Izz ad-din
Aibek on 4 April 1298 (697 A.H.). Kurtay chapel in 1338
(738 A.H.).
3. 1x7 ad-dh hammam (No. 11). Founded by Izz add-din
Afbek, Governor of Tripoli from 1294 to 1298. Adjoining mausoleum dating from 1 2 November 1298
(698 A.H.)
4. Al-Hajeb hammam (No. 39). Built by Esendemir in 1301
(701 A.H.).
5. Abd al-iVahed mosqzle (No. 17). Built by Abd al-Wahed
al-Miknasiin 13oj-06(705 A.H.).
6. Castle (No. I). Rebuilt in 1307-08 (707 h.11.) b y Emir
Esendemir Kurji, Governor of Tripoli.
7. Al-Man$Rhan (No. 23). Old inii perhaps dating from
Esendemir Kurji, about I 309.
8. Khqriyat Hasan madrasah (No. 7). Founded after 1309.
9. Al-Malak al-Nasir madrasah (No. 6). Built by Nasir
Mohammed,son of Qalaun, who died in 1340.
IO.Al-Qartawiyat madrasah (No. 3). Built by Emir Qaratay,
Governor of Tripoli from 1316 to 1326 and in 1332-33.
Fifteenth-centurydecrees engraved on the south wall.
11.Al-Nzlrihammam (No. 4). Perhaps built by Nur ad-din
about 1333.
12.Al-Nzlriyat madrasah (No. 5). As foregoing.
I 3. Tjlan mosqzie (No. 3 I). Built,together with the adjoining
mausoleum,by Emir Sayf ad-dinTynal al-Nasiri,Governor
of Tripoli from 1326 to 1333 and from 1335 to 1340;
completed in February-March 1336 (736 A.H.). Pulpit in
June-July1336 (736 A.H.).
14.Harej szlq (No. 21). Probably fourteenth century, but
perhaps earlier.
I j . Al-Askrkhan (No. 3 j
)
. Fourteenth century.
16. Al-Kh&ja”tfn khan (No. 12). Built by Emir Badr ad-din,
who died in I 341.
17.Al-Misriyfnkhan (No. 14). Built between 1309 and 1356.
18. Al-Shams&t madrasah (No. 24. Mausoleum of Shams
ad-dinal-Mawlawi;about I 349.
19. Al-Attarmosqzie (the Perfumer’smosque, No. 13). Door
and pulpit dating from 1350 (751A.H.).
20. Al-Saqraqiyat madrasah (No. 2 j), with mausoleum. Built
by Sayf ad-din Aqturaq, Chamberlain of the province of
Tripoli, completed in February 13 59 (760 A.H.).
21. Al-Aiami_at
madrasah (No. 3 j), with mausoleum. Built
by Mohammad al-Sukkar,completed on 22 May 1365
(766 A.H.).
22. A
l-Khatzlniyatmadrasah (No. 26), with mausoleum. Built
by Izz ad-din Aydamur Al-Ashrafi,Governor of Tripoli,
and by his wife Arghun,in 1373-74(775 A.H.).
23. Al-Btlrtasiyat madrasah (NO.19). Built by Isa, the son
of Umar al-Burtasi,before the end of the Bahrite period,
i.e. prior to I 3 81. According to a manuscript by an Egyptian author, to which our attention was drawn by Mr.K.
Maaz,Umar al-Burtasiis said to have died in I 324 (725 A.H.)
24. Anoymozls madrasah (No.2b), with mausoleum, beside the
GrandMosque.BeginningoftheBurjiteperiod,i.e.after I 3 82.
2 5 . Al-Zahiriyat madrasah (No. IS), with mausoleum. Built
by Emir Sayf ad-dinTaghri Baramshi al-Zahirifor his two
sons, completed on 7 October 1396 (799 A.H.).
26. Al-Tfnatfozlntain(No. 29b), built in 1413(816A.H.).
27. Lions tower (Burj al-Sibaa,No. 3 2). Built over the remains
of an older tower by Emir JulbAn,in 1441-42(845 A.H.).
28. Uwayiyat mosqtle (No. 16). Built about 1461by Abd alHay al-Uwaysi; minaret dating from the Ottoman period;
adjoining mausoleum dating from I 62I.
29. Al-RifaQat
madrasah (No. 36), prior to 1465.
30. Al-Urnarbat madrasah (No. 37), completed on 19 February 1466(870 A.H.); now in ruins.
31. Khankah (home for the aged, No. 29a), behind the AlMuallaq mosque. Perhaps built in 1467.
32. Al-Tzlwayshiyt madrasah (No. 9). Built by Sayf ad-din
al-Tuwayshiabout I 47I.
3 3. Al-Qadriyatmadrasah (No. I I), built about 1471.
34. Arghtln Shah mosqtle (No. 27), prior to 1477.
3 5. Al-Dabbaghh mospe (the Tanners’ mosque, No. 22a).
Prior to 1477;restored in 1j08 (913A.H.).
0 T T 0M A N S
After the conquest of Syria by the Ottoman Sultan Selim I,
in August I 5 16,Tripoliwas attached to the vilayet ofDamascus;
but in I J Z I it once again became the chief town of a province
under Suleiman the Magnificent. It was one of the commercial
ports of the Levant. Early in the seventeenth century,members of the Sayfa family,notably Emir Yusef and his son Emir
Husein, were governors of the city. It was later ruled by
Emir Fakhr ad-dinI1 maan, who was executed by the Turks
in 1635. Members of the Azem family from Damascus were
among the pashas governing Tripoli early in the eighteenth
century.
These rulers built several of the monuments in Tripoli dating
from the Ottoman period. They may be listed as follows:
I. Castle (No. I). Restored by Sultan Suleiman in July 1521
(927 A.H.), and restored on several further occasions until
the nineteenth century.
2. Al-Mtlallag m o s p e (hanging mosque, No. 29). Built by
Mahmud,the son of Iutfi,under the reign of Suleiman,and
completed in December I 5 5 9 (967 A.H.).
3. Al-Tabhdm nzosqzle (No.28), built by Emir Yunes about 1600.
4. AZ-Sabw khan (soap storehouse,No. IO), built early in the
seventeenth century by Yusef Pasha Sayfa to serve as barracks.
5. Al-Tawbat mosqzle (Mosque of Repentance,No. 22). Rebuilt by Husein Pasha, the son of Yusef, after the great
flood of 20 January 1612,and completed in June the same
year (1021 A.H.).
6. AI-JadZd hammam (No. 30), built by Asad Pasha al-Azem
about I 740.
7. Bags GhaHem (NG.zo), with eighteenth-centurysculptured
decoration.
Large crops of fruit (oranges,lemons and bananas) are still
produced along the coast and quantities of olive oil on the
plateau. The manufacture of soap carries on a long tradition.
O n the other hand, sericulture, which was once the leading
industry,has almost completely died out,and has been replaced
by cotton spinning and weaving. Other recently introduced
industries are steadily expanding-hydro-electric works on
the Nahr Qadisha above the town;a cement factory at Shakka;
and, to the north, refineries to treat the crude oil brought to
the coast by the pipe-linefrom Iraq.
This pipe-line,and the railway as well, use the gap in the
Lebanon range, which has from time immemorial made Tripoli the natural seaport for central Syria and Iraq. This
accounts for much of the trade in its harbour which,in 1939,
was equal to that in Beirut,whlst transit traffic was even heavier than in Beirut. The following figures may be given for
the traffic in the harbour over the past few years:
Cargo-boats
Oil tankers
218
406
5 70
5 59
202
181
The steady increase in economic activity is matched by an
increase in the population, which has trebled in 30 years:
in 1922, 36,000 inhabitants; in 1943, 80,000 inhabitants; in
1952, IIO,OOO inhabitants.
This is the reason for the swift expansion ofthe town,which
is at the root of the problem under consideration. New thoroughfares have been cut through built-upareas or laid through
the gardens on the plain and the flat terraces of the hills. They
are an inducement to the construction of new buildings for
business or residential purposes. They carry the ever-increasing flow of traffic necessitated by the expansion of the builtup area and the growth of the population.
Does this mean that the sacrifice of the old town and of its
M O D E R N TRIPOLI
historic monuments to the needs of modern life is now inevitable? Or can these requirementsbe met while still preserving
the distinctive features of the old quarters and the historic
As the second city of the Lebanese Republic,Tripoli today en- setting of their buildings? Careful study of these buildings
joys great prosperity,due to its thriving industry and trade and and a fair assessment of their value and their importance to
to the fertility of its soil. As yet, the tourist trade has con- the city as a whole would seem necessary before this question
can be dealt with.
tributed little to this development.
T H E M O N U M E N T S O F TRIPOLI
The majority of Tripoli's historical monuments are in the old C H R I S T I A N C H U R C H E S
city, of which they form an integral part. However, some
are outside, standing alone on the hill or in the open
There are few Christian relics from the time of the crusaders,
country.
In the preceding chapter they were grouped according to and most of them have been incorporated in more recent Mosperiod; we now propose to give a very brief assessment of lem buildings. C.Enlart has compiled a list of such remains,
their value, grouping them according to category.
which it is unnecessary to reproduce here.
Some parts of St. Mary’s Cathedralwere used again at the end
of the thirteenth century in the buildings of the Grand Mosque
(No. z), but a more interesting relic is the large Carmelite
cburcb, which 30 years later was incorporated in the Tylan
moqztz (No.31). Whilst the beautiful doors and square tower
of St. Mary’s Cathedral can still be admired,they are isolated
features that had no influence on the structure of the Moslem
monument and it is impossible today to make out the ground
plan of the Christian church. O n the other hand,the far less
evident traces of the original Carmelite’churchhad a decisive
influence on the planning of the Tylan mosque and account
for its highly original design, which is one reason why this
mosque is among the most interesting of Tripoli’s monuments.
Special mention should also be made of the recent discovery
of the foundations of a church in the Maronite cemetery, on
the hill to the south of the castle. These are undoubtedly the
remains of St. John’s Cburcb on Pikrimage Mountain (No.40),
which some experts had previously thought might be the actual
chapel of the castle. The church,with its slightly horseshoeshaped apse and single nave,had a chapel on its right; it was
perhaps preceded by an atrium.
MILITARY BUILDINGS
The walls and towers of the Castle (No. I), whose imposing
ruins stand on the hill overlooking the town on one side and
the river on the other, are undoubtedly the most spectacular
remains of old Tripoli. The castle is somewhatdwarfed today
by the tall houses that have been allowed to be built in its
neighbourhood. The beauty and archaeological interest of
the monument fall far short of any expectations based on the
historical and poetic memories attaching to it; the “romance”
has been obliterated by the fundamental changes which the
castle has undergone in the course of time and by thenineteenthcentury Turkish additions which clutter its interior. Extensive restoration and consolidation work would be required
to recreate its original grandeur.
O n the other hand, the Lions tower (No.32) on the seashore
is certainly the finest example of military architecture along
the whole coast. This massive, isolated block gives a tremendous impression of power. And on drawing nearer, we can
admire the stone courses of alternating colours at the doorway,
the parpens reinforcing its walls and the skilful interior vaulting. Another noteworthy feature is the dressing of the stones
in the staircase, built in the thickness of the outer wall, and
in a recess on the upper storey, reminiscent of the technique
used in northern Syria. The architecture and size of the
tower distinguish it from other defensive buildings erected
by the Arabs along the coast in the fourteenth century to ward
off any landing by the crusaders. Conflicting opinions have
been expressed regarding its date. J. Sauvaget recently placed
it in the last quarter of the fifteenth century; but, according to
an unpublished manuscript sold by Sheikh Kame1 al-Baba to
the Library of Damascus, the tower was built by Emir Julbdn
in 1441-42(845 A.H.) on the remains of an older tower. Another question for archaeologistsis to decide what traces ofthe
original building survive in this reconstruction. In his excellent book Le Crac des Chevaliers, P.Deschamps wisely draws
attention to the difficulties of such a study, which must be
based on purely architectural criteria. Close observation of
the fasades, of varying architectural composition,also reveals
considerable differences in dressing technique. The building
forms and methods are comparable with certain parts of the
castle at Tripoli, the Krak, the Safitah keep and the external
and internal structure of the Arab citadel at Bosra.
MOSQUES
Tripoli’s mosques date from different periods and are of
varying interest.
The Grand Mosque (No.z), which is the largest and oldest of
all, is by no means the most interesting today. Despite its
vast court, enclosed by vaulted arcades, the novel shape of
the minaret, which preserves the square plan of the old belfry,
the size of the prayer room,the central part ofwhich is covered by a dome rising above rounded corners,this building makes
no better an impression today than it did 60 years ago,when it
was visited by M.van Berchem and Ed.Fatio, who gave its
plan and described it in detail. “Its general appearance is
cold and ungra~eful’~,
they wrote, “and its squatness is accentuated by the whitewash on all the walls.” However, skilful restoration might possibly improve the appearance of this
building, by stressing the oldest parts, some of which are
still visible today but coated with plaster and paint (e.g.the
two doorways of the courtyard and the two lower storeys of
the minaret), while others can only be conjectured (e.g. the
south wall of the prayer room). It would also be desirable
to remove the unsightly addition to the aedicule over the north
doorway, on the courtyard side,and to change the colour of
the recently painted minaret to make it tone with the rest of
the building.
Of the Mameluke mosques in the old town, noteworthy
features are the novel structure of the domes supported on
double drums and the simple polygonal minaret of the AlIVahed mosqHe (No. 17), the stalactite doorway and the high
square minaret of the Al-Attar mosque (No. IS), the bold span
of the vast dome of the Al-Uways9at mosque (No. 16), and
the elegant minaret of the Arghun Sbab mosque (No.27).
Of greater beauty and interest, however,is the Tylan mosque
(No. 31), outside the walls, with its splendid multi-coloured
floor,great inside door set with alternating black and white
stone, and mibrab, the striking design of its minaret with a
double staircase, and the widely varying size and structure of
its many domes. It is an outstanding monument, which
should be better protected against the ravages of time and the
damage that it may suffer from the I j o or so Palestine refugees
who have sheltered there for the past four years.
The three Ottoman mosques-Al-Muallaq (No. z9), AlTahbBm (No. 28) and Al-Tawbat (No.zz)-though they have
no features of comparable interest, are yet worth a visit,
for they have the pleasing, natural charm, the brightness and
the delicate refinement that are characteristic of that period.
Particularly noteworthy are the setting of the first-named
mosque above street level, the handsome minaret of the
second,and the graceful miniature domes above the vestibules
of the third.
But the old town of Tripoli owes its distinctive character
and architectural unity rather to the old madrasahs, converted
into mosques,than to the mosques themselves.
MADRASAHS
signed in various ways to frame doorways and windows-with
zigzag, interlace, palmettos and various other mouldings so
as to emphasize their design and structure. These details
The great number of madrasahs in Tripoli may be attributed may be overlooked by the hurried tourist, but they will hold
to the concern of the Mamelukes, when rebuilding the town, the interest of those who seek really to know the town and
to revive the orthodox Sunnite form of Mohammedanism. to analyse its peculiar charm and character.
Besides the religious schools built by the governors, there
were many privately founded pious foundations in which
the classroom adjoined the founder’s tomb. Madrasahs of
the first kind may be as large as a mosque, to which they are $1 A M M A M S
similar in all essentials: those of the second kind often have
numerous small rooms about the tomb.
Most of Tripoli’s madrasahs were built in the fourteenth In Eastern cities, the building of public baths is not regarded
century and some in the first three-quartersof the fifteenth; as a luxury, but as essential for well-being and hygiene. In
they show the special features of Mameluke architecture in the twelfth century, Damascus possessed 5 2 public bathing
the decoration of the doorways with their alveolated arches, of establishments. A few years after its transfer to the present
the fasades and inlaid lintels,and in the widely varying design site, Tripoli already had two baths, one on either side of the
of different parts of domes and minarets; but at the same time, river, built by two of its first Mameluke governors. A third
their architecture is so diverse and original as to defy attri- was added less than half a century later. And as late as the
bution to the exclusive influence of any particular school.
eighteenth century,Asad al-Azem,pasha of Tripoli, regarded
O n entering the light, spacious Al-Qartawbat madrasah a new bath as the most useful and acceptable gift he could
(No. 3) adjoining the Grand Mosque, and the Al-BztrtasQat present to the citizens of the town.
madrasah (No.19) near the old bridge, the first impression
Though little remains of the Al-Hqeb hamnzanz (No. 39),
gained is one of quiet harmony and a fine sense of proportion. built in 1 3 0 1 near the river by Emir Essendemir Kurji, the
The many windows in the domes let in a flood of light and I?? ad-d2n hanzmam (No. I I), presented to Tripoli by the govforeshadow the styles current in the Ottoman period. In ernor after whom it was named and who was buried there
the al-Qartiwiyat madrasah the visitor will note the delicate in 1298, and the Al-Nwihammam (No.4),built about 1 3 3 3 in
decoration of the mihrab and of the whole south interior wall, the vicihity of the Grand Mosque, are both still in use today.
with marble inlaid in linear designs; the studied elegance of
This of course is the best way of keeping them in repair.
the porch ceiling with its alveolate and stalactite decoration; Going through the rooms, each one hotter than the last,
the eIaborate ornamentation of the lintels with their panels where the bathers come, both for purposes of hygiene and for
carved in deeply cut geometric designs,their Koranic inscrip- pleasant relaxation, the visitor can admire the skilfully stagtions, the complicated inlaid work of their white marble and gered partitions and the wide diversity of the domes arranged
coloured keystones; and above all the elegant design of the with lavish imagination to cover the common rooms,private
fasade with alternating black and white stone courses,its fine rooms and passages of varying shape and size. T o prevent
doorway and its small stone cloister windows. The refine- any loss of heat, these domes have no openings; the light
ment of the design and decoration is here matched by the enters through glass roundels let into the vaults. Equally
care taken in dressing the stones. Turning to the al-Burta- pleasing,viewed from above,is the exterior of the domes,with
siyat madrasah, the visitor is immediately struck by its pic- their countless little glass eyes. The al-Nuri hammam has a
turesque setting by the river. Its great stark fasade above the particularly large hot room surrounded by a whole series of
water, its square minaret and the unadorned profile of its private baths (maqsura), while the warm room between the
domes give it an air of rustic simplicity. But a glance at the hot room and the dressing room is very small in comparison.
complex stalactites and the elaborate lintel of its doorway, O n the other hand, the Izz ad-dinhammam has a more regular
at the rich marquetry of the mihrab or the alveolate decoration plan, and the warm room with its subsidiary rooms is just
of the pendentives in the prayer room,w
ill reveal that love of as large as the hot room.
detail and ornament so characteristic of this period.
The AI-Jad2d hammanz (No. 30), built at the south entrance
of the town about 1740,has the same features with the addiThis is more obvious in the smaller funerary madrasahs-in
the neighbourhood of the Grand Mosque, the Al-Khdyrbat- tional amenities of a period that set store by picturesqueness
Hasan (No. 7), AbMalek al-Nasir (No. 6), the anoymous and originality of detail. Worthy of note are the extraordinary
(No. 2b), Al-Narbat (No. j) and Al-Thv~zyshiyat(No. 9); variety in the structure and decoration of its numerous domes
to the west of the town, the Al-Saqraqbat (No. 21) and Al- and,from the outside,its doorway,at the top of which a bell
Khatztni_yat (No. 26); in the centre, the Al-Qadr@at (No. 1))
uscd to hang on a chain. It is a pity that today this fine buildand Al-Zahirbat (No. 18); and on the right bank, the Al- ing is abandoned;it would be worth restoring for use.
Tripoli’s buildings could furnish material for an interesting
Zztrqqbat madrasah (No. 34). In these buildings, maximum
effect is obtained with alternating black and white courses in study on domes; for this the hammams would affordmore
a fasade,or alveolated doors,the skilful structure of a dome or instances than any other kind of building.
its ribbed exterior, or the fine filigree of a stucco panel or a
carved inscription. The visitor is struck by the variety of
architectural and decorative devices adopted for transition
from the rectangular or square to the polygonal (for the drums), K H A N S
and then to the circular (for the domes); arches, alveolated
structures, shell-shaped or foiled recesses, painted and stucco
decorations all make their contribution to the harmonious The khans,all of which are in the business centre,bring vivideffect of the whole. And on the fasades, the cornices are de- ly to mind the economic life of the old city. As caravan-
serais or storehouses, they were an essential counterpart to
the suqs,which depended on them for their existence. Several of them have retained this function to the present day.
The Ai-ManTilk$an (No. 23) on the right bank was once
an inn. With two neighbouring buildings of the same datethe al-Hajeb hammam and the al-Zurayqiyat madrasah-it
shows the vitality of this important quarter from the earliest
days of the Mameluke town. The only surviving relic of
its past glory is the fine fasade, with its carved door and window architraves. The character and function of this building
remind us of the relations between Tripoli and Aleppo. In
style and technique it resembles the al-Qartawiyat madrasah,
whose doorway has similarly placed keystones, whilst the
groins have the same pointed and zigzag decoration. The
small recessed windows are ornamented with foiled arches-an
effect obtained by skilful dressing of the stones in the traditional North Syrian style.
Near the northern entrance to the suqs,the old Al-Harajsag
(No.ZI), with its shady arcades supported by massive columns,
is still, despite the rather clumsy repairs done to it, one of the
most originalarchitecturalunits in the old town. Some experts
ascribe it to the fourteenth century,whilst others do not rule
out the possibility of its being a Western European relic of the
crusade period.
The nearby Al-Khayydthk h m (No. 12), with its high roof
resting on transverse arches, has all the characteristics of a sui.
It is extremely picturesque. For 600 years, tailors have worked in the shops above its arcades, and it is as lively as ever.
Visitors will observe the arrangement of the upper-storey
rooms and the structure of the corridors and staircases.
The Al-As&r &un (No. 33), the Al-Miriyankhan (No.14)
and the Al-Subzln khun (No.IO), still used today as storehouses,
are of a more common type with a rectangular courtyard enclosed by two-storeyed vaulted arcades. The al-Askar and
al-Miriyan khans date from the fourteenth century. The
more recently built al-Sabun khan, still used for the storage
of soap, stands as a symbol of the undying vitality of an old
local industry; the courtyard with its trees and ornamental
water affords an interesting example of the pleasing effect
produced by a well laid out green space in the very heart of
the suqs.
OTHER BUILDINGS
Mention should also be made of the fine arcades in the courtyard of the Khanhh or Home for the Aged (No. 29b) and in
the building known as Bakiu Ghunem (No. 20).
Lastly, we should not overlook the great number of old
houses which, though lacking the same historical interest,are,
together with the buildings mentioned above, a factor in the
distinctive character of the old town of Tripoli,which in our
opinion should be preserved intact.
REPLANNING O F T H E OLD T O W N
THE P R O B L E M O F THE O L D T O W N
Today, as at any other period, the rebuilding and expansion
of towns are governed by political, economic and social considerations. Communications, transport and the industrial
and commercial organization are determining factors. Townplanning is the science and art of organizing a modern town,
with special regard to the probable course of its development.
Complex problems must be faced when the town already
has its own organic structure, shaped both by geographic
factors and by its history. The town then forms one complete
entity; unattractive as some of its districts may be, it is ill
adapted to the changesrequired to meet the needs of an expanding town and new interests.
Sometimes a new town may have sprung up alongside the
old town like a separate unit,with new buildings designed for
public services and self-contained residential districts. In
these cases no strain is brought to bear on the old core,where
such works as are opportune may be carried out, with due
regard to the original character; for instance,the partial demolition of insanitary houses and the creation of open spaces and
gardens.
In this post-war period, Tripoli, like Beirut, has been in
urgent need of extension and replanning, so as to be able to
cope with its new responsibilities deriving from political and
commercialfactors and the growth of population. In 3 0 years
its population has trebled, and trade, which for a while was
slowed down by the war, is increasing daily. Modern
buildings,offices, industries and hotels have sprung up within
the old city area and in the ring of new districts.. New
services are being superimposed upon existing services, or
are taking their place. The new houses and streets are admirably suited to traffic requirements and to the needs of
the general population; but, naturally, they are often out of
harmony with the previous style of the town. The contrast
is startling if w e think of the steep, narrow, winding old
streets.
When the new districts with their independent services
spring up in completely new sectors where there have previously been no streets, houses or public services, the technicians may be able to work out satisfactory schemes, as can be
seen both in Beirut and in Tripoli. But the government and
technical services cannot always deal so effectively with the old
centres,where private initiative has been allowed free rein and
there is already a built-up area. It often happens that an old
’
Diagrammatic plan of Tripoli with proposed alterations.
quarter has developed into an architectural whole with a character of it own; admittedly, its structure and appearance may
be improved upon, but it is liable to be marred or destroyed
by any drastic changes.
Tripoli,which since the time of the crusades has consisted
of three separate centres,one of them-al-Mina (the harbour)being some distance from the rest, afforded an opportunity for
government services to carry through a carefully thought-out
extension plan in the area between the sea and the old quarters;
the wide modern thoroughfares planned for this area-and
mostly laid down-are in every respect worthy of a great city.
But widespread private initiative has resulted in a piecemeal
approach to the same problems in the case of the modern buildings that have sprung up in the vicinity of the castle and on
the pleasant hill rising to the east of the river. Many difficulties have cropped up there in connexion with public
services and communications.
Plans for remodelling the old town, drawn up in 1947,provided, as a logical consequence of the present situation, for
the old streets to be widened and for the buildings on either
side to be pulled down. But many of these buildings are of
genuine historical and architectural interest. The municipal
authorities which had approved the plans were in difficulty
when it came to carrying them out,as the buildings in question
were protected by the Service of Antiquities and their preservation raised various problems. In the circumstances, it
was felt necessary to assess the value of each individual monument and to work out the exact criteria to be adopted and the
instructions to be issued if the plans were to be carried into
effect with due regard to the scientific and moral importance
of preserving the monuments.
Meanwhile, the worst drawbacks were mitigated and the
most urgent traffic needs met by opening a new thoroughfare
to the south of the Grand Mosque and by building a few short
streets to provide an approach to the houses in its neighbourhood.
The work already carried out reveals the full extent of the
difficulties involved in the replanning of the old quarters,and
the practical, aesthetic and economic problems that have to
be faced. The Unesco mission was thus able to assess both
the value and architectural interest of the old city and the
effects of carrying out the proposed plan.
It was obvious at once that the application of this plan would
settle only a few of the technical and housing problems involved in the replanning of the old town, and that,even so,a
number of sometimes unsatisfactory compromises would have
to be made. This naturally led to an inquiry into the intrinsic
value of a monument or street, the preservation of which was
a bar to the preparation to a more effective,rational and comprehensive plan.
Widening of the old streets and suqs is an unsatisfactory way
of dealing with the practical and aesthetic problems,for demolition of the buildings on either side would result in building
blocks being of irregular size and reduced in area, while some
would still remain occupied by uninteresting buildings. Another question that arises is the restoration and adaptation of
the buildings that would thus be partly destroyed and left in
isolation. The Unesco mission has the responsibility of weighing up the various arguments for the preservation or destruction of the old parts of the town. For this purpose it is
necessary to explain the character of the quarters affected,
their intrinsic value, their peculiar features and their right
to survival after due account is taken of the requirements of a
modern city and its population.
T H E C H A R A C T E R O F THE O L D
QUARTERS
Travellers and scientists who have visited Tripoli have remarked on the peculiarly Oriental fascination of its narrow streets
teeming with life, of its historic buildings set among houses
and shops in an amazing tangle of arcades, vaults, projections,
domes and minarets.
Apart from their picturesqueness and their traditional atmosphere-not to be equated with disorder and neglect, as
undesirable characteristics that must be done away with-the
old streets of Tripoli still have the vitality ofa body that has not
outlived its usefulness, even amid the demands of a modern
city. All the buildings and bazaars in the old city form a
single unit,the several parts of which have a vital link with one
another. The architecture of the houses and public buildings
is the simple, natural reflection of this unit’s character. The
bazaars, set among houses, mosques, khans, hammams and
madrasahs, might be compared to the arteries and veins of a
living body; time and use have made them throb with a life
that gives some inner meaning to every corner, every view.
They are inseparably linked with the motley-dressed crowd
and the shops crammed with wares. These are not streets
in the modern sense of the word: nowadays, in the new districts,the street is public property;at the same time,it is necessary to all the houses on either side. But here, the street is
hewn, as it were, from the substance of the architecture itself.
Making one’s way through the suqs is like joining a natural
process ofebb and flow,driftingwith a current,walking’through
the very buildings. Every projection, every corner has a
build and air of its own. Yet one can pass repeatedly along
the same stretch of road, or walk round and round the same
khan-quite unaware that one is doing so. Merely to turn
back is to have the impression of seeing something fresh, as
though peering at the ever-changingforms and colours of the
patterns in a kaleidoscope. In the maze of streets which seem
to put out fresh tentacles,intertwining to lead us,astray, the
monumental doorway of a mosque or madrasah, the lofty
pinnacle of a minaret, or a glimpse of some dome or khan,
serves as a reassuring landmark.
Noble traditions and jealously-guarded privacy, mystification and mischief, the history of the past and the events of
the present, all combine to build up this general impression.
Every window is guarded by a grating of hand-turnedwooden
bars,by shuttersor by trellis-work;but every househas a moucharaby in its lace-work of masonry, through which the occupants, themselves unseen, can look out into the street. The
houses are built in accordance with the dual tradition of the
East,which is based on the use of either wood or stone. Some
of them have projecting beams, which act as supports for overhanging portions, balconies, eaves or cornices; their beams
are almost always carved, decorated with open-work patterns,
or scallops. Every technical resource of this kind is brought
to bear in the stone buildings, with their arcades, vaults and
corbels, grouped-regardless of the direction of the streetwith the aim of solving some particular structural problem.
This is one ofthe most striking characteristics of the local architecture. The street runs through arcades and vaults, squeezes
between the stalls, and follows a course which seems as wayward and haphazard as that of a river. But above and to
either side of it,the houses cling and cluster in obedience to a
law of their own, with the help of projections and corbels,
arcades that run askew and vaults that are sliced in half. Some
difficulties have been overcome in a way so natural as to
seem quite spontaneous; they give a clearer idea of the
ingenuity of the local builders and their architectural
traditions than could be gained from public buildings or
monuments. In the latter any novel ideas expressed in
the construction or decoration of a dome, minaret or doorway were worked out by the architect as part and parcel of
his original plan-whereas the builders responsible for the
whimsical network of houses and streets appear of their
own accord to have solved their problems of construction
and space.
All big modern towns now have their “stores”-great
complex buildings which, like the khans and caravanserais of
former times, are planned to include large warehouses, and
where goods of every type can be found. T o a visitor,the old
town of Tripoli looks like one enormous store,with its different departments for produce and manufactured articles,handicrafts and business negotiations. It is a delight to stroll
through the suqs,sheltered from sun and rain,wind and dust,
admiring the wide range ofgoods on sale,from costly jewellery
offered by the goldsmiths, deep-piled carpets and an endless
variety of multicoloured textiles, to fruit and vegetables, stews
and sweetmeats.
The visitor has the same pleasure here that he feels in wandering through the by-streets and mercerie of Venice or the
old parts of Vienna, Paris or Florence. Leaving the wide
streets where the traffic is controlled by police and signals,to
plunge into the old districts where modern vehicles cannot
penetrate, he feels relaxed and rested. Here he can walk
without fatigue, without the need for constant attentiveness,
without hearing the tiresome motor horns. Sound, colour
and light filter pleasantly through the wide shadows cast by
the fabrics hung like awnings across the streets from the vaults
and eaves.
The trade fairs and exhibitions held in our big modern
cities strain to recapture what w e find as the everyday atmosphere in the narrow streets of ancient Tripoli. Side by side
with the articles displayed for sale w e see the machines used
in making them, the craftsman with his tools, the cook and
the pastry-maker busy at their tables and stoves. Work,
here, is in itself a cause of happiness and emulation; a sale is
like a reward, acknowledgement of the value of the creative
effort. A fine example is offered of participation in productive
work-something that modern conditions are gradually
killing, together with many moral, educational and spiritual
values that go with it.
CRlTlCAL STUDY O F THE 1 9 4 7
PLANS F O R THE T O W N
If the old city is to be replanned, brought into harmony and
contact with the new sectors;if its various quarters are to be
improved by restoration of their buildings and streets, the
living, positive values which make up its present character
must be carefully borne in mind.
According to the plan drawn up in 1947 and lodged with
the municipality, the desired ends are to be achieved by a systematic widening of the existing thoroughfares. The programme urges the opening, all over the city, of wide streets
bordered by new buildings. This would entail the partial
demolition of a number of historical monuments. The suggestion is that these could be restored in such a way as to reestablish their value, patch up the injuries done, round off
the amputated parts and hide the mutilations behind new
frontages.
Castle viewed from the east, with n e w roads.
45
40
( 2 8 . 5 0)
25
20
The advantages of this plan have already been mentioned;
but its numerous drawbacks should be pointed out as well.
To begin with, from the hygienic and economic point of
view, it must be realized that while the frontages of the existing buildings would have to be pulled down to bring them into
alignment along the new roads,no demolitions need necessarily take place further back, although it is there that cleaningup operations are most urgently needed. It would be like
“repairing” a fine but worm-eaten piece of old furniture by
taking off the beautifully wrought surface-leaving the spongy
layer beneath untouched-and replacing it by a plywood
facing laid on in the modern manner. The restoration of
works of art is usually handled in exactly the opposite way;
the damaged inner portion is replaced,but the surface,worked
upon by the artist and mellowed by time,is carefully preserved.
Defects,like illnesses,must be got rid of by every possible treatment, but not by killing the patient. To put up new buildings
in an old town is rather like allowing a malignant growth to
develop in a body which, in the course of time, has achieved a
functional balance of its own.
From the aesthetic standpoint, too, the introduction of
modem building methods in the old parts of the city would
give rise to serious objections. A house four or five storeys
high is calculated to dwarfthe domes of a mosque or madrasah,
to destroy the architectural value of a minaret or a doorway.
What is more,its horizontal lines and wide openings,its deepset balconies with their prismatic forms and bright colours,
will be entirely out of keeping witl;the existing structures,
which are simple, dark-coloured,of harmonious proportions
and adapted to their surroundings and to the climate. There
is a sense of intimacy and retirement about the old style of
architecture. It engenders no desire to take part in the life
20
of the streets outside. The street washes its walls like a river,
sometimes swift and turbulent, sometimes calm. But the
family lives inside the house,meeting in the courtyard,beneath
a tree or beside a fountain. Modern architecture,on the contrary, is open to the street, sharing its life,its light and atmosphere, and its noise and dust as well. When a whole district
is planned in the modern style, it acquires a certain unity, a
certain character,it can have a beauty and harmony of its own.
But it would be exceedingly difficult to construct anything
aesthetically and economically satisfying in the miserable,
irregular spaces that might be cleared by the suggested demolitions in the heart of the old town. As some examples already go to prove, a crop of uninteresting but pretentious
buildings would spring up, carried, for financial reasons, to a
height entirely out of proportion with their surroundings,
and the old charm would be completely destroyed. The
beauty, the interest,the personality of an old house may not,
of course, be apparent to all and sundry; and this accounts
for certain efforts at modernization,the choice of certain colours, and the neglect into which such buildings too often
fall. But the skilful restoration of a few of them would probably be enough to guide building enterprises as a whole in a
more promising direction.
The replanning of monuments, too, would have drawbacks
from the aesthetic point of view. The monuments in the old
town are an integral part of their setting, for none of them
was planned and built to stand alone-as was, in our time,the
clock tower in the modern centre of Tripoli. Domes and
minarets rise up amidst the surrounding buildings like palmtrees pointing skywards. It is true that in some cases the faFade of a mosque-that of al-Tahhim, for instance-has
become cluttered with haphazard, utilitarian erections; these
Profile of proposed street with view of monuments.
A
35.60
30.53
22.16
should be cleared away, and the damage resulting from speculation and private interests repaired. But it can never be desirableto eliminate or modify the work of time by paring away
the evidence of a monument’s past history or making inroads
upon its structure. Moreover, any attempt to restore unity
by reintegrating the altered or mutilated portions would, in
this particular case, give rise to practical and artistic problems
which it would be almost impossible to solve, since, as has
already been said, the interest of these monuments lies chiefly
in the fact that they form part of an architectural and historical complex with its own individual character and unity.
To protect works of art, to restore and preserve them, is
not merely a matter of practical convenience,but a moral duty.
T o show respect for the spiritual values of which they are the
embodiment is the most effective means of educating the general public, whereas to neglect them is, in some sort, a denial
of what our ancestors have handed down to us.
There are many cases in which a monument of great architectural value plays a part in our individual lives-reminding
us of the splendour of the past, arousing our wonder and
interest by its artistic and historical significance,by the opulence and magnificence to which it bears witness. A n old
quarter,regarded as an architectural unit, has a deeper though
less obvious significance. It forms part of our day-to-day
life, is the expression of our needs and our habits. It is a
matter of pride to its whole population that it is preserved and
kept in good repair, or that the damage caused by time, poverty or lack of appreciation is gradually remedied. This
should be the purpose of restoration,improvement and development,which should not encourage destruction or minister
to the new tyranny of speed, motorization, mass production
and publicity.
Another drawback, from the aesthetic point of view, would
be the loss of the picturesque atmosphere created in the suqs
by the nature of their trade, by colour and Eastern dress.
It is not our intention here to defend at all costs the preservation of local colour,solely as an attraction for tourists. W e
would merely point out that the tourist trade may also be useful if it serves as an inducementto improve and clear up the
old quartersand to do away with the resultsofneglect,ignorance
and bad taste. When replanning is undertaken, the wish
to preserve an architectural setting may also result in preserving a picturesque atmosphere which need not be merely
superficial,but may give genuine expression to the feelings and
lives, to the background, traditions, customs and tastes of a
whole nation.
PROPOSED
PLANS F O R THE O L D
TOWN
The city of Tripoli, which now looks seawards, with its
fine thoroughfares and modern houses, could easily preserve
intact its ancient centre, its suqs, mosques, madrasahs and
khans. To devise a scheme for replanning,improving and
restoring this cluster of related monuments is not to endanger,
but to safeguard it. Such a plan should be drawn up and
adopted in the light of the interests ofthe district itself,without
regard to the demands of life and traffic in the other sectors.
It should provide for some demolition within the blocks of
buildings, so as to achieve something more than a merely
superficial clearing-up,by creating open spaces, squares and
21
gardens-to act as extra lungs-like those already existing
in the neighbourhood of the al-TahhAm mosque and Haddad
madrasah. The plan shows which houses are regarded as
worthy of preservation, and consequently of restoration,and
the uninteresting nondescript areas where demolition and
replanning would be possible and even desirable.
The restoration of a few houses and public buildings, if
carried out with tact and common sense, might enhance the
interest of the old town to an unforeseeable and surprising
extent. Only those who are trained by long habit to judge
the intrinsic value of a work of art by discounting the deterioration it has suffered at the hands of man and through the
action of time, can imagine what a joy to the eye a wellrestored monument may become. W e hope that appropriate
legislation,based on a plan taking account of the general interest, may lead to the reorganization of the old city in the form
that suggested itself tentatively to us after a careful inspection
of the area.
The question of repairing the pillared arcades of the ancient
al-Haraj suq and of restoring the al-Sabun khan and the alKhayy2tin khan is,in itself, of sufficient importance to warrant
government action. If some madrasahs were restored to the
social and cultural functions for which they were intended,
and a fewmosques at present occupied by refugees were repaired, they would serve as models for the restoration of other
monuments, which are at present hidden by a coat of wnitewash or paint and unsuitably furnished. The aesthetic value
of well-dressed stonework, doorways and various decorative
features cannot at present be appreciated, owing to the way
in which they have been daubed over. Happily, however,
the monuments-their walls, vaulting and domes-seem to
be structurally sound. A programme of restoration would
thus give very satisfactory results for comparatively small
expenditure. What would be needed, in the main, would be
a small team of specialized workmen and able craftsmen to remove the disfiguring layers of paint from the frontages and
inner walls of the buildings, repair doors and windows, roofs
and cornices, lattices and moucharabies. Restoration measures might even be applied to the Grand Mosque, so as to
bring its artistic and historicalaspects into clearer evidence.
W e think that during a second stage of operations it would
be desirable and feasible to take over a few houses-selected
from among the finest and most neglected-restore them,
and entrust them to an organization which would turn them
into boarding-houses or hotels, or adapt them for any other
purpose of general utility. W e feel sure that foreign visitors
to Tripoli would be glad to make their stay in such
traditional, quiet and peaceful surroundings, rather than in
the hotels situated in the wide, noisy streets of the modern
district. W e also think that it might be advantageous to
renovate the al-Jadidhamman for the benefit of tourists. And
in cases where it seemed impracticable to restore a bath, a
madrasah or a mosque to its original purpose, such buildings
could be used as depots or as galleries in which the work of
local artists and craftsmen could be exhibited or offered for
sale.
The artistic restoration of monuments-which, as explained
above,is a matter requiring meticulous care-should go hand
in hand with demolition work, to be undertaken in buildings
with no special interest or character. This would lead to
the clearance of further open spaces,which could help to solve
traffic problems even in the heart of the old city and improve
communication between the centre and the outlying districts.
It is perhaps worth repeating here that systematic and care22
ful replanning of the sectors where demolition work or transformations have taken place is absolutely essential. The new
streets that have been opened up in the neighbourhood of
the Grand Mosque provide a striking example of the discord
resulting from the erection of modern buildings such as have
already been described. As w e mentioned earlier, the very
heart of the old town contains certain insalubrious and uninteresting portions, fit only for demolition. But if more satisfactory results are to be achieved there, the task must not be
envisaged from the petty standpoint of private interests, speculation, and the exploitation of the ground thus recovered.
Each case must be examined separately,so as to decide whether
these sectors can be assimilated in the new town with its modern
architecture, or whether they must be brought into line with
the old buildings surrounding them. In the latter case, the
architecture must always be carefully attuned to the existing
setting. It is desirable that any scheme for partial rebuilding
should be considered and supervised by the Service of Antiquities,in conjunction with the other departments concerned,
in order to ensure architectural and artistic unity.
W e feel, however,that without losing sight of these requirements, it would bc possible to carry out certain specific
measures to ease the traffic problem in the old town and to
link it up with the main arteries of the new.
CONSIDERATION O F A F E W SPECIFIC
POINTS
The street that has already been opened to the south of the
Grand Mosque links the new district now growing up on the
castle hill with the centre of the city. For the reasons already
given, the new houses which line it are of little architectural
interest; they strike a jarring note. The municipal authorities intend to develop the open spaces round the Grand
Mosque as a green belt, with flowerbeds and trees. This is
undoubtedly the simplest and wisest course. Without departing from it, one might suggest the addition of a colonnade
along the side of the new street; the irregularly-shapedspaces
inside would be left unroofed,as in the suqs and khans;they
could be adorned with trees and fountains, and there might
even be shops. This would have the advantage of allowing an
uninterrupted view of the Grand Mosque, while completing
the architectural ensemble, and of preserving the style of the
sector,since no modern buildings would be put up. Moreover, it would leave a maximum of space for the evergrowing street traffic, as pedestrians could walk under the
colonnade.
The 1947 plan suggested the widening of the new bridge
(Jisr al-Jadid), which is lined with shops. For the reasons already given, this widening is undesirable. The best way of
linking the districts on either bank of the river would be to
build a bridge serving the thoroughfare now under construction behind St. Michael’s Church. This bridge would afford
a fine view. And the new thoroughfare could be connected
with the old parts of the town by side-streets planned in such
a way as to show to advantage the public buildings and others
of artistic value.
It must, however, be realized that for both practical and
aesthetic reasons there can be no question of cutting wide,
straight streets through the old quarters or of arranging symmetrical open spaces in them. Winding streets may be
Proposed layout of street behind the Grand Mosque.
irritating to motorists, or to engineers whose dream is to build
a standard type of house. But straight streets are impossible
if w e are to preserve the amenities of fine views and green
spaces planted with trees. New buildings might be provided
with arcades,which would allow of the widest possible streets,
since no pavements would be necessary; arcades give welcome shelter from sun or rain, and as is evidenced, for
instance, in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque and the
al-Haraj suq, they can fit in perfectly well with the existing
architecture.
N o w that the city is spreading out behind the castle and over
the hill to the east of the river,the problem arises how these
districts are to be connected with the modern centre of the
city ; for this expansion brings ever-increasing pressure to
bear on the narrow belt constituted by the old town. The
bridge on the Latakia road and the street which has just been
opened south of the Grand Mosque are not by themselves
enough to solve this problem. Not far from the al-Uwaysiyat
mosque, the circular road, which begins to the west of the
castle, stops short on a fairly steep gradient (about I 5 per cent).
W e take the view that this road should be continued,to reach
the lower town by way of the BezerkPn suq,and suggest that
this might be done by the construction of a street raised above
the level of the existing suqs. Allowance will have to be made
for the fact that the hilly districts on either side of the river are
particularly sought after for residential purposes, as they are
magnificently situated and command fine views. These districts, if developed by careful planning and made easily accessible from the other parts of the town, might be particularly
beautiful; and the new roads leading to them could afford
splendid views of the whole city and its surroundings.
This new thoroughfareis shown on our plan;it would pass
above the suqs without damaging them or cutting through
them. The excessively steep gradient of the section already
built behind the al-Uwaysiyat mosque could be remedied at
the same time, with the happy result that a space could then
be -cleared round the mosque and its restoration undertaken.
The same measure would set off the Izz ad-dinbaths and the
al-Miswiyin khae to better advantage, for the raised street
would run between them, commanding interesting views of
their vaulting and domes. The spaces left free, between the
houses and the historic buildings, by the construction of this
new road could be adorned with trees and grass plots, thus
satisfying the requirements in regard to atmosphere,hygiene
and aesthetics,according to the principles set forth above.
A further suggestion is that the narrow strip below the road
running northwards downhill from the castle, above the Abd
al-Wahed mosque,might be made into a terrace; a fine view
could be had from there, and garages, shops or warehouses
could be built below the shelf thus created. The terrace could
be built out to overhang the lower curve of the road and could
have on its townward side stone arches in the local style, to
conceal the over-rigid cement structures. T w o or three palmtrees could be planted to beautify the little triangular patch
remaining above the Abd al-Wahed mosque. Other trees
should be planted to the north of the castle,in the space where
the cemetery lies. Here, as elsewhere, a well-placed tree or
climbing plant can often do much to improve the appearance
of a ruin, or of an uninteresting modern building.
The plan approved by the municipality already provides for
better communication between the residential districts on the
hills on either side of the river,the suggestion being that they
shouldbe linked by a new bridge, 200 metres or so south of the
existing one. The plan gives no indication regarding the streets
that should be opened up to carry this new stream of traffic.
W e feel that it would be both useful and logical to connect
the bridge with the new street that has been begun west of the
castle. It would be difficult to do this in the ordinary manner,
on account of the wide variations in ground level-there is
a sharp rise on either side of the river-to be traversed by the
two sections of the proposed road. There would therefore
have to be a number of hairpin bends,requiring extensive engineering work together with large-scale demolition. In addition, the proximity of the castle would make it necessary to
bear aesthetic considerationsin mind and to preserve the views,
which are very fine.
Purely as suggestions, w e put forward the two following
solutions, one or the other of which might be chosen after
closer study of the question in the light of technical and economic requirements.
The first might be the construction of a two-storeybridge,
its causeways being at a level of approximately 24 and 30-32
metres. The lower causeway would carry the traffic from the
streets already existing on both sides of the river; the upper
causeway, which would take the form of a straight viaduct
supported on arches, would fit without difficulty into the
network of roads laid out along the flat tops of the two hills; it
would thus be unnecessary to cut winding roads down slopes
to the river.
The alternative might be to cut a tunnel for road traffic just
to the south of the castle, where the hill rises to a height of
5 5-60metres. This would do away with the need for the twostorey bridge and the viaduct. The tunnel would run at a
level of about 3 0 metres, prolonging the new thoroughfare
for heavy traffic passing to the south of the Grand Mosque;
a gradient of about 3 per cent would bring it out at a level of
26 metres on the west bank of the river. Thence it could
easily be connectedwith the flow of traflic round the castle and
across the river, bv the replanning of certain streets so as to
have the further advantage of providing fine and extensive
views.
It may be noted that the viaduct above the suq,in conjunction either with the tunnel below the castle or with the new
bridge, would provide satisfactory communication between
the residential districts and do away with the risk of interruptions, long detours and steep gradients.
The measures proposed for improving the flow of traffic
and clearing up the old quarters of the city appear satisfactory
from the economic point of view. They take into consideration
private interests and landed property in general,wherever such
property is still of any value. Better still they restore value
to property which has lost it, by putting in the place of unhealthy and characterless areas new buildings such as are in
demand by the townspeople.
It should also be pointed out that carefully planned restoration and layout, in harmony with the local style, implies the
recruitment,training and employment of skilled labour-workmen, masons and craftsmen who are fully qualified to work
in the local tradition,but who often fail to find an outlet for
their abilities in the standardized methods of modern building.
Works of art which have for long been overlooked and
neglected are often found to have acquired interest and importance in the course of time, thanks to the investigations of
historians and archaeologists. They are then suddenly given
prominence in the showcases of museums.orthe shops of antique dealers. W e took the view that the ancient city of Tripoli was a work of art which,with a little restoration and replanning,could regain its former beauty and take its due place
in the luxurious setting of the modern districts. W e hope
that the local authorities and the Government, after considering the results of our survey,willagree with us and,successfully overcoming any practical difficulties arising out of private
interests,w
ill one day have the opportunity and the satisfaction
of converting this dream into a reality.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BERCHEMM.van, Journal asiatique, 1896,p. IO et seq.
--, Mate'riaux pour un
Corpus Inscriptionurn Arabicarum, 11:
Syrie du Nord, by M.Sobernheim,p. 37-139and pl. V-XV,
Me'moires de l'institut franfais d'arche'ologie orientale, Vol. X X V ,
Cairo, I909.
BERCHEMM. van, FATIOE.,Vyage en Syrie, Vol. I, p. 1163 0 and pl. VIII-X:Me'moires de l'lnstitut frantais d'arche'ologie
orientale, Vols. XXXVII and XXXVIII, Cairo, 1914-1
5.
BUHL Fr., Enylope'die de l'lslam, under the word Tarabulus,
p. 695 et seq. Leyden-Paris,1934.
CHEHABEmir M.,Unpublished notes for a history of the
Lebanon.
DESCHAMPS
P.,Les chiteaax des croisis dans l'ancien conzti de
Tripoli de Syrie, Revue de ]'Art, 1936, p. 89-104.
Le Crac des Chevaliers, p. 18 and pl. I1 and 111,BAH,
Vol. XIX,Paris, 1934.
DUSSA
UD R., Topographie historique de la Syrie antique et mkdie'vale,
p. 75-78,BAH,Vol. IV,Paris, 1927.
__, Vyage en Syrie, Oct.-Nov.1895,p. I 5.
DUSSAUD
R.,DESCHAMPS
P.,SEYRIGH.,L a Syyrie antique et midie'vale illustrie, pl. I I 2 and I I 3, BAH,Vol.XVII,Paris, 193I.
--
ENLART
C.,Les
monuments des croise's dans le royaume de Je'rusalem, Vol. 11, p. 430-40and Atlas, pl. 185-88, BAH, Vol.
VIII, Paris, 1928.
GAUDEFROY-DEMOMBYNES
hl., L a Syrie d I'e'poque des Mamelouks
d'apris les auteurs arabes, p. 110-17,B A H , Vol. 111, Paris,
1923.
Guide Bleu, Syrie-Palestine,p. 54 et seq., Paris, 1932.
Guide Vert,Liban, p. 231 et seq., Beirut, 1948.
HITTI
Ph.K.,History Syria, p. 224 et seq., London, 195I.
HONIGMANN
E., in Pauly-Wissowa, Real-Enqclopadie, under
of
the word Tripolis (4), col. 203 to 207, Stuttgart, 1939.
Inventaire des monuments historiques de Tripoli, unpublished note
by J. Sauvaget (Lebanese Service of Antiquities), part of
which was reproduced in Tripoli,1 2 p.,undated.
ge'ographie universelle, Vol. IX, p. 775
RECLUSE.,Nouvelle
et seq.
RICHARDJ., Le comte' de Tripoli sous la 4nastie toulousaine
(1102-87),BAH,Vol.XXXIX,Paris, 1945.
SAUVAGETJ., Notes sur les dgenses de la marine de Tripoli,BZdletin du mzde de Beyouth, Vol. 11, 1938, p. 1-25 and
pl. 1-11.
BAALBEK
T H E R U I N S AT B A A L B E K
F
remotest antiquity, the sanctuary of Heliopolis
has enjoyed tremendous renown. Crowds of pilgrims used to flock to its temple courts and press
round the altars of its gods. Illustrious travellers to the east
never failed to visit it.
Its origin as a place of worship is shrouded in the mists of
time. Nowadays, study of this question is closely linked
with that of the splendid buildings erected by the Roman
colony in the first three centuries of the Christian era on the
site of the original sanctuary: the great temple with its two
courts and propylaeum, its 400 metres of colonnades and exedrae, monumental flights of steps and vast substructures;
the small temple, known as the Temple of Bacchus, whose
lofty portico and interior decoration have been preserved
almost intact;the circular temple, or Temple of Venus, a masterpiece of ancient baroque architecture. All these temples
form what is rather loosely termed the Baalbek Acropolis.
Even today visitors are amazed by the gigantic blocks used
and by the wealth of sculptured decoration. The six columns,
with their splendid entablature,which have remained erect on
the highest point of the sanctuary seem to be the very symbol of
majesty and permanence.
Like others, the Roman temples at Baalbek have been
ROM
marked by the vicissitudes of time. The Byzantine rulers pulled
down the altars to build a church in their place. The Arabs
converted them into fortresses. They have also suffered at
the hands of nature and some of their columns have collapsed as the result of earthquakes. Yet they have withstood
the onslaught of time and the destructive instinct of man;
and even today their ruins are among the finest groups of
ancient monuments in the world.
In the eighteenth century,an admirable book by an Englishman, R. Wood, aroused interest in the Baalbek temples.
Systematic exploration was undertaken at the end of the last
century by a German archaeological expedition under the
leadership of Th. Wiegand ; excavations were conducted from
1900 to 1904,and the results were published 20 'yearslater in
a substantial work compiled by a large team of experts. Between 1934and 1936,consolidation, restoration and clearance
work was carried out,at the expense of the Lebanese Government, by the architects F. Anus and P. Coupel; it led
to the discovery of a new monument in the centre of the
square court of the great temple. This work was continued
after the war by the Service of Antiquities and brought
to light the existence in the court of highly interesting relics
of antiquity.
E N H A N C E M E N T OF T H E R U I N S
The ruins at Baalbek must be considered against the general Anyone strolling along the paths, following the wayward
background of the surrounding oasis. The spring by which course of the streams, suddenly catches, between the branches
it is watered is probably responsible for the Heliopolitan cult. of poplars and walnuts,delightful glimpses of the huge blocks
It is safe to state that Baalbek owes to the spring both its gar- of a wall or the tall shafts of Corinthian columns. The warm
dens and temples,which are to this day the source of its wealth colouring of the stone blends perfectly with the rustling green
and fame. Its abundant waters are carried along a multitude leaves. This is the essence of Baalbek's charm, which must
of canals that supply the thick green belt around the ruins. be preserved at all costs.
Baalbek : alterations proposed in I 9s I.
26
Baalbek : alterations proposed by the Mission.
27
However, modern life has brought with it new demands.
O n some days, hundreds of tourists flock to Baalbek. When
a ship on a pleasure cruise stops there a long procession of
cars winds its way to the sanctuary over the Lebanon range.
There is no denying that the place is ill suited for their reception. It should be possible to reach the ruins without having
to pick a way through the narrow, often crowded streets of
the little town;there should be a roomy car park near the main
entrance to the temples; and access to the famous Trilithon
should be made easy. Further, the ruins, whose appearance
from inside the sanctuary has been steadily improved by
skilful restoration and consolidation work, are not seen to
advantage from outside. Trees have grown all round unchecked,too thick,too tall and too near. The elegant circular
temple and the charming mosque are completely cut off from
the main group of big temples. The narrow stairway at the
entrance, with its ticket office and turnstile, spoils the propylaeum and gives a disappointing first impression.
These are the reasons why a plan has been drawn up for
improving the setting of the Baalbek ruins and their approaches. The salient Doints of the Dlan are:
I. Building of a wide, straight road, leading direct to the entrance of the ruins,from the south, so as to avoid passing
through the town.
2. Opening of a wide avenue from the Palmyra Hotel to the
new road,in the axis of the six columns.
3. Clearing of a large open space in front of the entrance to
the ruins, with car parks.
4. Clearance work round the circular temple and improvement
of its approaches;this temple would remain separated from
the larger temples by the new thoroughfare.
r. Building of a boulevard for motor traffic all round the ruins;
in the proposed plan this consists of straight sections with
right-angleturns.
6. Several streets connecting this system with the network of
streets in the town, as provided for in a plan for extension
and improvementthat is already being carried out.
Whilst t
gs plan admirably meets all the-practical requirements
listed above,rather serious objections might be raised from the
aesthetic point of view, with which w e are more particularly
concerned here. All the proposed roads are to be straight,
and this is quite out of keeping with the character of the Baalbek oasis and the surroundings of the ruins. The building
of a roadway all round the ruins would destroy the charm ofthe
present paths, and therefore seems to us undesirable. The
circular temple, though set off to greater advantage, would
still be isolated,as would the large mosque behind it. A large
open space, bare and noisy, in front of the entrance to the
temples and carrying a heavy traffic load is hardly calculated
to prepare tourists for the aesthetic emotions they should
feel on a visit to the Baalbek ruins.
W e think it may be possible to deal with the problem in
some other way that would meet the same requirements whilst
at the same time avoiding these serious drawbacks. The
chief aim should be to preserve the present character of the
site. A sketch is given on page 27.
The excellent idea of creating a new approach that would
avoid the streets of the modern town should be retained. This
new road would break away from the Beirut road at the outskirts of the town and would lead round from the north to the
entrance to the ruins. It should be built like the avenue of
a park, following a winding course through the garden area.
The tourist would thus be able to enjoy from the outset the
refreshing green oasis after crossing the bare plain of Bekaa.
28
The road would skirt the north-westcorner of the ruins,and
here the tourist could walk a few steps to admire the Trilithon.
Further, on arriving at the site, the road would command
splendid views of the temples through carefully arranged breaks
in the belt of trees. Near the north-eastcorner of the ruins,
it would join up with the present road to Homs. A car park
as large as desired could be arranged, a little apart, between
this point and the old mosque.
The space in front of the propylaea as well as the mosque
and the circular temple should be incorporated in the temple
enclosure. The entrance to the archaeological site would thus
be moved backwards to the boundary of the car park, as a
second entrance is provided for on the townward side between the circular temple and the mosque. This whole area
should be designed as a park, with avenues and clumps of
trees planted so as to affordviews of the buildings. There
would be no practical drawback in discontinuing the flow of
traffic in front of the temples, as a new road has already been
opened up further eastwards, as part of the plan for extending
Baalbek, mainly in the direction of Homs.
The circular temple is well below ground level today; the
surrounding earth should be flattenedin front so as to afford
an open view of its fasade,and built up into tree-plantedslopes
on either side to provide a frame. Behind it, the small adjoining mosque with its minaret would be preserved, as it adds a
pleasing picturesque touch.
The garden area to the south and west of the ruins will be
threaded by footpaths only, along which delightful walks may
be taken. These paths are already there. Their winding
course will be kept, but they will be better surfaced and laid
out. O n the other hand, the narrow road at present connecting the sector between the Palmyra Hotel and the circular
temple will be adapted for motor traffic and continued behind
the circular temple and the great mosque as far as the new
car park. This thoroughfare, doubling the width of the
present road,w
ill ease its traffic load and be a useful addition
to the road circuit.
There is nothing artificial in the plan w e propose,which is
dictated by the natural flow of traffic. Corners, bends and
parking areas have been arranged so as to provide interesting
views. There are links with the road to Homs and with the
network of streets in the town.
It should also be pointed out that the removal of the monumental flight of steps of the propylaea has long marred the
ancient entrance to the temples. This entrance should not
therefore serve as the chief motif in the new layout and the
focal point for streets and open spaces. A far more satisfactory
view would be obtained by arranging the entrance to face
the circular temple between the propylaea of the great temple
and the large mosque. Once the traffic in frontof the propylaea
is done away with, it w
ill be possible to adjust the ground
level inside the new archaeological park for the sole purpose
of setting off the monuments to greater advantage.
Special attention will be given to the question of planting
trees. Those that are most commonly found in Baalbek w
ill
be used for preference-poplars, walnuts and fruit-trees,
which are in character with the garden area. The trees will
not be allowed to grow too thickly or to too great a height
in the immediate vicinity of the ruins. Care will be taken
to provide views of the colonnades through breaks in the mass
of foliage. The ban on building in a wide belt all round the
temples,particularly to the south and west, will be maintained.
In the parts of the town nearest to the ruins,the height of
buildings willcontinue to be strictly limited.
W e feel that the series of measures advocated above would
ensure the preservation of one of the most beautiful and famous sites in the world, whilst making it easier of access and
heightening the pleasure of a visit. W e know that this is the
wish of the Lebanese authorities. And w e are confident
that they willsucceed in solving with tact and sympathy a problem which is of prime concern to them,as it is to all admirers
of this beautiful country and its glorious past.
S H O R T BIBLIOGRAPHY
ALUFM.I., History of Baalbek, zIst ed., Beirut, 1953.
ANUSF.,Syria,XIII, 1932,p. 293-9.
SEYRIGH.,Heliopolitana, Ball. du Masie de Byroutb, I, 1937,
p. 77 et seq.
Baalbek, Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen ..., Berlin and Leipzig, --, La triade biliopolitaine et les temples de Baalbek, @ria,
1921-21.
x,1929, p. 314-16.
COLLART
P.,Baalbek et Rome ...,Maseum Helveticum,VIII,I 95 I , WEIGAND
Ed.,Baalbek und Rom,Jabrbucb des kais. arcbaol. Inst.,
XXIX,
1914, p. 37-91.
p. 241-59.
COLLART
P., COUPEL
P., L'autel monumental de Baalbek, BAH, -- Baalbek, Datierung und hnstgescbicbtlicbe Stellung seiner
Vol. LII,Paris,195 I.
Baaten, Jabrb.fir Kanstwissenscbaft, 1924-25, p. 77-99 and
COUPEL
P.,Qria, XVII,1936,p. 321-34.
p. 165-96.
DUSSAUD
R.,Temples et cultes de la triade biliopolitaine d Baal- WOOD
R.,The rains of Baalbek ...,London, I 7j7.
bek,Syria,XXIII,1942-43,p. 33-77.
29
I
I. Tripoli.
z. Tripoli.
3. Tripoli.
4. Tripoli.
Castle-aerial view.
Lions Tower-doorway.
Lions Tower.
Lions Tower-interior.
2
3
4
j . Tripoli. G r a n d LMosque-aerial view.
6. Tripoli. Al-Burtasiyat madrasah.
Plan of the Al-Burtasiyat madrasah.
of the al-Qartawiyat madrasah a n d castle.
7. Tripoli. G r a n d M o s q u e - d o m e s
.
.
8
Tripoli. Tylan mosque-general view.
Tylan mosque-longitudinal section.
9. Tripoli. Al-Tawbat mosque.
IO. Tripoli. Tylan mosque-dome.
8.
;
..
.....
' I
R
Tripoli. Al-Wahed mosque.
Tripoli. Al-Muallaq mosque.
I 3. T'ripoli. Al-Tahham mosque.
14. Tripoli. Al-Attar mosque.
I I.
I 2.
d
17
18
'
9
20
I 5.
Tripoli.
Tripoli.
Tripoli.
18. Tripoli.
I 9. Tripoli.
20.
Tripoli.
I 6.
I 7.
Abd al-Wahed mosque-dome.
Al-Tawbat mosque-dome.
AI-Nuri hammam-dome.
Al-Tuwayshiyat madrasah-dome.
Al-Saqraqiyat madrasah-dome.
Stucco decoration (anonymous madrasah).
22
2 I.
22.
23.
Tripoli. AI-Burtasiyat madrasah-interior of dome.
Tripoli. Tylan mosque-intenor of dome.
Tripoli. Al-Saqraqiyat madrasah.
AI-Saqraqiyat madrasah :longitudinal section and plan.
26
24. Tripoli. Al-Qartawiyat madrasah-doorway.
25.
Tripoli. Tylan mosque-interior
doorway.
26. Tripoli. Al-Qartawiyat madrasah-interior.
Plan of the AI-Haraj suq.
27. Tripoli. Al-Nuri hammam-general
Tripoli. Al-KhayyBtinkhan.
29. Tripoli. Al-Harajsuq.
28.
28
29
view of domes.
30. Tripoli.
51. Tripoli.
32.
Tripoli.
3 3. Tripoli.
Street scene, in the vicinity of the Grand Mosque.
Street scene, in the vicinity of the Old Bridge.
Street scene, in the vicinity of the castle.
Slope up to the castle.
34
35
34-37. Tripoli. Typical houses.
38
38. Baalbek. Aerial view of temples.
39. Baalbek. Exedra of the square court.
40. Baalbek. M o s q u e .
39
4z
44
41.
42.
43.
44.
Baalbek.
Baalbek.
Baalhek.
Baalbek.
The spring.
Path behind the temples.
View of the Temple of Bacchus.
Entrance to the ruins.
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