Baskinta
|
Baskinta بسكنتا |
|
|---|---|
| City | |
 Baskinta
|
|
| Coordinates: 33°57′N 35°47′E / 33.950°N 35.783°ECoordinates: 33°57′N 35°47′E / 33.950°N 35.783°E | |
| Country |
 Lebanon
|
| Governorate | Mount Lebanon Governorate |
| District | Matn District |
| Elevation | 1,300 m (4,300 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 1,800 m (5,900 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 1,200 m (3,900 ft) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Dialing code | +961 |
Baskinta (Arabic: بسكنتا) is a Lebanese village situated at an altitude ranging from 1250 metres above sea level and climes up to appropproximatly 1800 meters of height at Qanat Bakish, making it one of the highest villages of Lebanon. It is located 43 kilometers north east of Beirut.
Baskinta is known for its natural environment and moderate climate. Baskinta is becoming a cycling spot for mountain biking amateurs with some off-road trails and a developed cycling community. It was also the capital city of the Syriac Christian state of Marada. Baskinta is also known for the variety of its fruit especially apples and vineyards. The residents are Christians: 70% Maronites and 30% Greek Orthodox.
Baskinta carries the ruins of monuments, cemeteries, and numismatics, pottery remains that date as back as the Phoenician and the Greek ages. The Greeks knew Baskinta and built in it several palaces - of which enormous stones, pillars stands, and underground passages still exist.
Bacchus temple in the place known as Qanat Bakish, connotes Bacchus, the god of merriment and wine in Greek mythology. The Faqra temple ruins dedicated to Adonis and Atargatis are also found 11kms north of Baskinta nearby Mzaar Kfardebian, the largest ski resort in the Middle East.
Golden numismatics, coins, jewels that belonged to Queen Helena (Saint Helen of Constantinople, (c. 250 – c. 330), mother of Constantine the Great) have been found too and they go back in time to the reign of Suljok and Antokhios the 1st, the 2nd and the 3rd when she went to the Holy Land looking for the true cross. The Cross of All Nations was built in Baskinta to commemorate this.
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Wikipedia