Left Lebanon Tourism
 |
| Tourism |
|
|
Bestinlebanon.com | Tourist Sites |Jeita Grotto
|
Jeita Grotto |
|
|
|
Caverns sculpted by water and time
Few caverns in the world approach the astounding wealth or the extent of those of Jeita.
In these caves and galleries, known to man since Paleolithic times, the action of water
has created cathedral-like vaults beneath the wooded hills of Mount Lebanon.
Geologically, the caves provide a tunnel or escape route for the underground river, which
is the principal source of the Nar el-Kalb (Dog River). Located some 20 kilometers along
the highway North of Beirut, a large sign indicates the right turn from Zouk Mickael
village, just beyond the tunnel. The caverns are on two levels. The lower galleries,
discovered in 1836 and opened to the public in 1958, are visited by boat. The upper
galleries, opened in January 1969, can be seen on foot.
To mark the inauguration of the upper galleries, arranged by the Lebanese artist and
sculptor Ghassan Klink, a concert was organized in the cave featuring electronic music by
the French composer François Bayle. Other cultural events have taken place in this
unusual venue, including a concert by the German composer Carl-Heinrich Stochhausen in
November 1969.
Jeita remained a popular attraction until the recent Lebanese conflict forced it to close
in the mid 1970’s. Upon the initiative of Minister of Tourism Nicolas Fattouche, the
Ministry charged the German company "Mapas" to renovate and re-equip its
facilities by the most modern techniques and to operate the complex. On July 6, 1995, this
natural wonder was again open to the public.
Jeita redicovered
The modern discovery of the underground river of Jeita dates to 1836 and is attributed to
Reverend William Thomson, an American missionary who ventured some 50 meters into the
cave. Reaching the underground river, he fired a shot from his gun and the resulting
echoes convinced him that he had found a cavern of major importance.
|
|
In 1873 W.J. Maxwell and H.G. Huxley, engineers with the
Beirut Water Company, and their friend Reverend Daniel Bliss, president of the Syrian
Protestant College (later the American University of Beirut) explored these caverns. In
two expeditions carried out in 1873 and 1874 they penetrated 1,060 meters into the
grotto-principal source of the Nahr el-Kalb that supplies Beirut with water. They were
finally stopped by "Hell's Rapids", where the river flows in torrents over razor
sharp rocks.
Like explorers everywhere, Dr. Bliss, Mr. Maxwell and the other engineers could not resist
recording their names and the year on "Maxwell's Column", a great limestone
pillar some 625 meters from the entrance.
About 200 meters further on, in the so-called "Pantheon', they wrote their names and
details of the expedition on paper, sealed it in a bottle and placed it on top of a
stalagmite. The action of the lime- impregnated water has since covered the bottle with a
thin white film, permanently fixing it to the stone. Between 1892 and 1940 further
expeditions were carried out, mostly by English, American or French explorers. These
efforts brought them to a depth of 1,750 meters.
Since the 1940's, Lebanese explorers, notably the members
of the Speleo-Club of Lebanon founded by the first Lebanese speleologist Lionel Ghorra,
have pushed even deeper into the Jeita grotto. Their methodical exploration revealed the
great underground system of the upper and lower galleries which is now known to a depth
approaching
9 kilometers.
The upper galleries, discovered in August 1958 by Lebanese speleologists, required a
hazardous climb to 650 meters above the entrance of the underground river. Altogether,
2,130 meters of this gallery have been explored.
Inside the Caverns
In summer you can visit both the upper and lower galleries while enjoying the refreshingly
cool temperature inside the caves. The lower section is sometimes closed in winter when
the water level is high, but the extensive upper galleries are open all year.
Plan on about two hours for the tour, which includes a boat
ride through the lower galleries, the visit to the upper galleries on foot and a film
presentation.
The Lower Galleries
This part of the cavern takes you to a beautiful underworld millions of years in the
making. Both the 600-meter boat trip on a subterranean lake is only a sampling of the
system that has been explored for almost 6,910 meters.
The first impression is the sound of rushing water and a sensation of clean cold. But the
roar of the waterfall at the entrance gives way to profound silence as you glide deeper
into the cave. An effective new lighting system illuminates expert rock climbers-and
marvel at the columns and sculptures fashioned by those great architects-water and time.
The Upper Galleries
The approach to these dry galleries through a 120-meter-long concrete tunnel does little
to prepare you for the surprising world beyond. Formed several million years before the
lower caverns, this section shows what the entire cave system was like before geological
conditions displaced the subterranean river to its present level.
For 650 meters you wind your way through different levels of the caverns, contemplating
the flowing stone draperies and other formations. Perhaps the most dramatic sight is the
yawning canyons and sink holes, some seen at a drop of over a hundred meters.
|
|
Getting Around Jeita
Leaving your car in the parking area, you purchase entry and parking tickets. From here
the fun begins with a short ride up the mountain in one of four Austrian cable cars.
If you prefer land transportation, a Disney-like "train" pulled by a small
replica of a steam engine makes regular runs up and down the hill between the parking area
and the upper galleries.
Near the entrance to the upper galleries is an air conditioned theater which has scheduled
showings of a film about Jeita in several languages. Check which time the language you
want is shown so you can coordinate the film with your visit to the cave.
The tickets you have bought double as access cards and are inserted at the entry gates of
the upper and lower galleries and for the cable car. Also keep them handy for the train
and the theater. When departing, your parking ticket is needed to exit the gate.
The facility has several restaurants, snack bars and restrooms as well as souvenir shops
selling Lebanese handicrafts. Open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 am to 6 pm and Friday
through Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm. Closed on Mondays, unless it is a national holiday.
NB. Photography is not permitted inside the caves. |
|
Right
|
Bottom
Copyright
© 1999-2005 Lebanonwire.com® - All rights reserved.
Any copying, re-writing, re-publication, or re-distribution, including framing, cashing or similar means, is expressly prohibited. For any comments or information, please contact
Lebanonwire at: 961 (3) 335512, 961 (1) 333187, P.O.Box 16-5435, Beirut, Lebanon, or send
an email to webmaster@lebanonwire.com |
|
|
|
|
