The historical site at Aanjar, an hour south of Baalbek, is the product of just one dynasty: the Umayyad caliphate of the eighth century. This is what makes Aanjar unique, as the vast majority of other historical sites in Lebanon are made up of many layers, with additions and changes made by various groups over the centuries. The site is 385 metres long and 310 metres wide, and inside these boundaries you can still see remnants of the streets and shops, public baths, mosaics, palaces, and a restored Tetrapylon.
A visit to Aanjar doesn’t take long – an hour or so at the most – so it’s easy to work it into your itinerary as you move through the Bekaa Valley. We of course recommend it for travellers interested in history, but it’s also great for photographers as the archways create a very pleasing scene.
