Welcome to Zgharta - Ehden!

 

                                Ehden

 

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Ehden is a popular summer resort for the people from zgharta. It is known for its old Souk and the traditional main square where people from the village gather on the summer evenings and chat.

	KMS from Beirut: 124Kms.
	KMS from Zgharta: 30Kms.
	Altitude: 1500m.
	Roads To Get There: Tripoli - Zgharta - kfar Hata - Aarjis - Kfarfou - Sebeel - Aitou - Ijbaa -  Ehden.

 Or Via: Chekka - Amioun - Kousba - Tourza - Sereel - Aarabet Qizhaya - Ehden.

         Or Via: Chekka - Hadath el Jebbeh - Bcharre - Kfar Sghab - Ehden.

 Or Via: Baalbeck - Dahr el Kadib - The Cedars - Bcharre - Kfar Sghab - Ehden.

	Manufacture: Apples, Pears, Cherries and many kinds of vegetables.
	Famous Attractions: Mar Sarkis Spring, Horsh Ehden (Ehden Jungle), A number of springs and churches, St George's Church where Youssef Bey Karam's body is kept and the Kadisha Valley.

History: Ehden is an old village situated on the north side of the Kadisha Valley which dates back to the middle ages. It was known as Talasar, meaning "circle paradise".    It was given the name "Paradise" by many authors and ancient philosophers. These include the Patriarch Douaihy and the Prophet Hasquial who said "God's paradise is near the Cedars of Lebanon". This is mainly due to its location and beauty.

Many of those who interpreted the bible (The Patriarch Douaihy, Hwat, Rozgolz, Daewood Orquart and many more) claimed that Ehden was the home of Adam and Eve after their departure from "paradise". They also say that many of Sam's (Noah's Son) children  lived in Ehden thus making it a very famous place.

Ehden went into ruins in 1000BC and remained that way until 850BC when the Assyrian King Houdoud Aazar came and rebuilt it. He constructed  a site for the worship of the 'God of Snow' on the northern side of a high mountain naming it "Beb El-Hawa". 

Around 700BC, King Sinharib took over Ehden, thus destroying the village by burning it.  It endured this state until the Iskander military leader Thalakous arrived in 300BC restoring Ehden once again. On the Western side of the mountain King Thalakous built a place of worship for the 'Sun God'. They had 5 stones where people were sacrificed, given as offerings to the 'Sun God'. It was then destroyed without any remains.

50 years later, the Syriacs rebuilt Ehden starting Christianity.

In Ehden there are 23 places of worship including churches and statues. 300 years after Christ the Christians in Ehden built 5 churches in a straight line close to each other. These Churches include: Mar Boutros (St Peter), Mar Youhana (St John), Mar Ghalab, Mar Mamma, Mar Estephan. These five churches are named after 5 saints who died as martyrs.

	KMS from Beirut: 94Kms.
	KMS from Tripoli: 8Kms.
	Altitude: 100m.
	Roads To Get There: Beirut - Tripoli - zgharta.

Or Via: Beirut - Chekka - Aabba - Bchenine - Besebeel - El Jdayde - Kfar Hata - Zgharta.

	The Name:
	Agriculture: Olives and oranges.