Souk El Gharb
|
Souk El Gharb سوق الغرب |
|
|---|---|
| City | |
 Souk El Gharb
|
|
| Coordinates: 33°47′33″N 35°33′45″E / 33.7925°N 35.5625°ECoordinates: 33°47′33″N 35°33′45″E / 33.7925°N 35.5625°E | |
| Country |
 Lebanon
|
| Governorate | Mount Lebanon Governorate |
| District | Aley District |
| Highest elevation | 750 m (2,460 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 674 m (2,211 ft) |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Dialing code | +961 |
Souk El Gharb (Arabic: سوق الغرب), also spelled Suk, Sug al, ul, Suq), is a village in the Mount Lebanon Governorate, Aley District, in the country of Lebanon. The name of the village translates to "Western Market."
Before the Lebanese Civil War, it was a prosperous mountain resort, nestled in the Aley District Mountains of Mount Lebanon in a pine forest and overlooking Saint George Bay and Beirut. Being only a few kilometers from the mountain city of Aley, it is considered today one of Aley's suburbs. The villages that lie between Aley and Souk El Gharb are Bmakine and the two Ains (the modern spelling in Lebanese is 3ayn): Ain el-Sayydé (our Lady's spring), and Ain el-Rimmané (the spring of the pomegranate). South of Souk El Gharb lies the village of Kaifun.
Note, An abbey is a place of worship associated with a monastery.
Souk El Gharb was famous for several schools: The Souk El Gharb Presbyterian School (alumni include Abraham Rihbany), The Souk El Gharb College of Lebanon, The Souk El Gharb Technical Institute and College, The Souk el Gharb School for English Instruction, and The Souk El Gharb Boarding School for Boys. There's also the Balamand university in Souk El Gharb.
There are identifiable Roman ruins in the town. There are buildings dating back at least to the 16th Century.
The town was the scene of many notable battles during the Civil War, its notability arising from being actually held long-term by the Lebanese Army rather than a militia. This was sometimes against great odds and against the backing of the Syrian forces. General Michel Aoun's Eighth Brigade squared off against the Progressive Socialist Party's "PSP" militia and their allies for many years. Unfortunately for the civilian population, it led to the destruction of the town.
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Wikipedia