Bsharri
Bsharri (also spelled Becharre, Bcharre, Bsharre; Arabic: بشري), is a Lebanese city at 1,400 m of altitude, near the Kadisha Valley. It is located at around 34°15′5″N 36°5′50″E / 34.25139°N 36.09722°E, in the Bsharri District of the North Governorate. Bsharri is just under the Cedar forest and is the birthplace of the famous poet, painter and sculptor Khalil Gibran.
Bsharri was the site of a Phoenician settlement in ancient times. Maronite Christians fleeing persecution were attracted to its mountainous terrain in the 7th Century AD. The valley of Kadisha, below the town, became the spiritual center of the Maronite Church. The town was known as Buissera by the Crusades.
In Lebanon, Bsharri natives are characterized as valiant and fiercely tribal. They are especially known for their distinct accent when they speak Arabic. Unlike other parts of Lebanon, Aramaic was spoken in Bsharri well into the 1800s. As a result, Bsharri natives developed an unmistakably strong accent which lasts to this day.
During the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), Bsharri was a bastion of Christian resistance against Leftist and Islamist forces. In 1986 Samir Geagea, a Bsharri native, became head of the Christian Lebanese Forces (LF) movement. Many LF militiamen were drawn from the town during the civil war.
Today, the village is located in a highly touristic zone including such attractions as the Gibran Tomb and Museum, Kadisha Valley, the Cedars of God forest, a ski resort and Bka'kafra (the birthplace of St Charbel).
See also
External links
- Bsharri Youth Club, Sydney The Official Website of the Bsharri Youth Club (Sydney)
- Photos in and around Bsharri
- A Bsharri born guy's Blog speaking about Bsharri
- World66
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