Middle East - Anthony Ham [381]
The Umayyads ruled briefly but energetically from AD 660 to 750, and Aanjar is thought to have been built as a commercial centre or strategic outpost by their sixth Umayyad caliph, Walid I (r 705–715), meaning that the whole thing might only have been inhabited for as little as 50 years. The walled and fortified city was built along symmetrical Roman lines; the layout is in four equal quarters, separated by two 20m-wide avenues, the cardo maximus and the decumanus maximus. There is a tetrapylon, a four-column structure, where the two streets intersect, built in alternating layers of large blocks and narrow bricks, a Roman-type structure built in a typically Byzantine style.
In the city’s heyday, its main streets were flanked by palaces, baths, mosques, shops (600 have been uncovered) and dwellings. Perhaps the most striking of all the remains today are those of the great palace, one wall and several arcades of which have been reconstructed.
Guides can be found sitting sipping strong coffee at the café in front of the entrance to the site, and engaging one is highly advised, to get the most out of a trip to this strange, short-lived city.
Sleeping & Eating
Challalat Anjar Hotel ( /fax 620 753; s/d/ste LL60,000/90,000/120,000; ) Aanjar’s only hotel, situated amid the restaurants at the end of town, is bright and airy with, as the brochure points out, ‘very considered prices’. All rooms have TVs and balcony, and its basic mezze-and-meats restaurant has live music on the terrace every night in summer.
Shams Restaurant ( 620 567; mezze from LL2500, grills from LL6000; 10am-midnight) One of the most popular places to eat in town, this restaurant serves superb fresh fish and seafood, along with the usual array of tasty mezze. It’s on the right hand side of the road into Aanjar, about 500m from the main Damascus highway.
For more dining choices (in summer only) follow signs for ‘Restaurants Aanjar’ down the town’s main street. Here you’ll find a range of nice Lebanese restaurants spread around blooming gardens, some with playgrounds and several with water wheels.
Getting There & Away
It’s a bit tricky to get to Aanjar without your own car. If you’re taking a service taxi heading south or to the Syrian border from Zahlé, ask to be dropped off at Aanjar town and walk from the highway (about 2km) to the site. Alternatively, negotiate a private taxi trip from Zahlé: a return, including a one-hour wait at the site, should cost around US$20.
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LEBANON DIRECTORY
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ACCOMMODATION
Where accommodation options have been divided into categories in the chapter, budget accommodation comes in at under US$40 per double room, midrange at between US$40 and US$90, and top-end at over US$90. Prices are quoted for a room in high season (June to September) except for the Cedars, which is for a room between December and March. Prices are either in US dollars or in Lebanese Lira (LL), depending on which is quoted by the establishment itself.
Note that in low season, large discounts are often available, sometimes as much as 50% or even more, so it’s always worth checking. Some smaller places, however, may shut up shop if there seems to be no likelihood of travellers, so it might pay to call in advance if you’ve any doubts.
As an alternative to the places listed in this chapter, the Lebanese Youth Hostel Federation (www.lyhf.org) lists nine hostels serving the country, though no hostel in Beirut itself. Most are in small, rural villages, offering a taste of real local life, and have beds for around US$10 to US$15 per person per night. For upscale homestays across the country, look no further than L’Hote Libanais (Click here), which can organise a single stay or an entire itinerary for very reasonable prices.
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ACTIVITIES
The Lebanese passion for adventure translates into a wide variety of options for adventure activities.
Caving
Caving is possible in various places