A magnificent 19th-century emir’s palace in the Chouf mountains.
Beiteddine is a magnificent early 19th-century palace in the Chouf mountains, about 50 km southeast of Beirut. Built over some thirty years by Emir Bashir Shihab II, it’s one of Lebanon’s finest examples of early-Ottoman Lebanese architecture, with grand courtyards, ornate reception halls, terraced gardens and a celebrated collection of Byzantine mosaics.
"Quick facts",
Beiteddine — meaning ‘House of Faith’ — was built by Emir Bashir Shihab II as his seat of government in the early 1800s. Craftsmen from across the region worked on its courtyards, hammams and richly decorated halls. Today it houses museums and a renowned collection of Byzantine mosaics, and each summer its courtyards host the prestigious Beiteddine Art Festival.
Sweeping ceremonial spaces framed by elegant arcades.
Ornately decorated halls, hammams and reception rooms.
Byzantine mosaics displayed in the palace’s lower levels.
Views out over the Chouf valleys.
Beiteddine is about 50 km southeast of Beirut — roughly a 1-hour drive into the Chouf. It’s usually visited on a Chouf day tour, combined with the historic village of Deir el Qamar and the Chouf cedars.
A magnificent early 19th-century palace built by Emir Bashir Shihab II in the Chouf mountains, famous for its architecture, mosaics and gardens.
About 50 km — roughly a 1-hour drive into the Chouf mountains.
It pairs naturally with the nearby historic village of Deir el Qamar and the Chouf cedar reserve.
