Middle East - Anthony Ham [363]
Subsequent centuries under Ottoman and Mamluk rule saw Byblos’ international reputation as a trading port decline, just as Beirut’s star was in the ascendancy. It soon settled into a new incarnation as a small and sleepy fishing port, which it remains to this day. Excavations of its former glories began in 1860 and continue, at a snail’s pace, today.
Orientation
The medieval town, with the most to attract visitors, stretches north from the perimeter of the seaside ruins, flanked to the north by Rue al-Mina and to the west by the harbour, home to a string of good restaurants. The modern town, hosting most useful services and cheap eateries, is centred on Rue Jbail, at the eastern end of Rue al-Mina.
Information
Banque Libanaise pour le Commerce (Rue Jbail) Can change US dollars or euros, and has an ATM.
Byblos Bank (Rue Jbail) Has an ATM.
Post office ( 540 003; Rahban St; 7.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8am-1pm Sat) Look for the Coral Petrol Station on Rue Jbail; 30m east of the station on a side street. It’s around 20m up the hill on your right, on the 2nd floor.
Standard Chartered Bank (Rue Jbail) Has an ATM.
Tourist office ( 540 325; 8.30am-1pm Mar-Nov, closed Sun Dec-Feb) Located in the souq near the entrance to the archaeological site, it has maps of the site, but none of the town itself.
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SOMETHING FISHY
Tucked away in an alleyway in the Byblos souq is the workshop of young local paleontologist Pierre Abi-Saad and his fascinating hundred-million-year-old haul of fishy history. Discovered in a quarry owned by his family for generations, almost 1km above sea level, his glimpses into a prehistoric, underwater world are today represented in almost every major international natural history museum, though he keeps his favourites for the long-awaited day when he, too, will open a museum of his own findings to the world.
More than 80% of the fossils Pierre has found represent species now extinct, and many haven’t yet even been studied or named. Adorning the walls of his workshop and adjoining shop are eels, stingrays, octopi, jellyfish, eels, shrimp and coelacanths, one of the earliest fish ever to exist. His collection even includes such oddities as a fossil of a fish that had swallowed another fish before its ancient demise, and a 4m-long complete shark, the largest in the world.
While in Byblos, don’t miss the chance to drop into Pierre’s shop, Mémoire du Temps ( 547 083; www.memoryoftime.com; souq; 9am-7.30pm), where he’s usually to be found chipping away enthusiastically at a hunk of limestone. His enthusiasm is infectious, his friendliness disarming, and you might even be invited up to the quarry yourself, to fish for your own ancient catch – without getting even your little toe wet.
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Sights & Activities
The Byblos Arts Festival (www.byblosfestival.org) gets the town going each summer with a host of local and international performers. Check the website for up-to-date festival and ticket details, and events listings.
THE RUINS
This ancient site ( 540 001; adult/student/child LL6000/1500/1500; 8.30am-sunset) is entered through the restored 12th-century Crusader castle that dominates the sturdy 25m-thick city ramparts (which date from the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC). It’s well worth taking a guide from here (LL10,000 to LL20,000 depending on the size of your group) to show you around the expansive site in detail. There are great views from the top of the ramparts, offering a good overview of the layout of the ancient city.
From the Crusader castle, turn left past the remains of the city gate and follow the path until you reach the L-shaped Temple of Resheph dating from the 3rd millennium BC. From here, move on to check out the intriguing Obelisk Temple from the early 2nd century BC, at which bronze votive offerings in the shape of human figures were discovered, and are