Tile City

Trip Start Dec 23, 2007

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221

Trip End Ongoing

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Flag of Lebanon Beiteddine, Lebanon
Saturday, April 17, 2010

Beitiddine, the 'house of faith', is an early 19th century palace complex that is an interesting mix of traditional Arab and Italian baroque design. It's comprised of the palace, several courtyards, terraces gardens, and a quite striking overall design, definitely due to the mixed architectural styles mentioned previously. As beautiful as the complex is, and the upped courtyard is quite amazing, the reason I would call this a must-see place to visit in Lebanon are the mosaics. For those who don't know, mosaics are a picture or decoration made of small, usually colored pieces of inlaid
stone, glass, etc. I have seen mosaics from all around the world, and they all pale in comparison to the Byzantine mosaic collection found here, which turned out to be considered, by far, the best collection in the Mediterranean area, and is considered by many to be the most spectacular in all of the world.

The bulk of the collection is intelligently displayed in the old stables, a naturally lit area of vaulted ceiling, arches, and stonework. You can stroll around the area and immediately outside is a tranquil garden area overlooking the Chouf mountains. Afterwards I headed upstairs to the courtyard and was mesmerized by the architecture, the richly decorated chamber rooms, and the overall magnificence of this place. Definitely a must-see!

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