The Cradle
But today, this historic city finds itself under Israeli fire, devastated by the deliberate bombing of its archeological treasures.
As part of the occupation state’s war on Lebanon’s heritage, on 26 February, Baalbek, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, was added to the list of Israeli targets, marking the first direct assault on the city since the 2006 war.
The historic treasures of Baalbek faced devastation when, on 6 October, smoke was seen billowing behind the iconic Roman columns in the citadel, a testament to the scale of destruction. This attack on Baalbek's heritage followed Israeli threats to evacuate the city, with the first warning issued on 30 October.
A direct assault on heritage
Speaking to The Cradle, Shafiq Shehadeh, president of the Union of Baalbek Municipalities, describes how their jurisdiction experienced several raids, but that the most significant damage to archaeological and tourist sites occurred in Baalbek itself.
Though many sites were damaged indirectly, there were direct attacks, such as the complete demolition of Al-Manshiya Café, an establishment from 1928 located in what is known as the archaeological square (or cultural heritage).
In turn, Mustafa al-Shall, Mayor of Baalbek, tells The Cradle:
“The western wall of Baalbek Castle was targeted within the Gouraud Barracks, and about 60 percent of it was destroyed by being targeted by an air strike. It is on the World Heritage List and protected by UNESCO. The Mansheya building adjacent to Baalbek Castle was also targeted, and was completely destroyed.”
The Mansheya building, a significant Ottoman-era structure and a major attraction due to its proximity to the historic Palmyra Hotel, was also targeted and reduced to rubble. This targeting extended to other historic sites like the popular cafes and other tourist attractions surrounding the Ras al-Ain spring.
The Mayor also expresses concerns regarding the bombing of residential areas near the citadel, noting that the strength of these impacts could have long-term effects. Experts from UNESCO and the General Directorate of Antiquities are expected to evaluate the structural integrity of these sites in due course.
The ruins under siege
According to the Union of Baalbek Municipalities, several significant cultural treasures have been compromised:
The aforementioned Al-Mansheya Café was directly targeted and completely demolished. This ancient archaeological building was located opposite the Palmyra Hotel and just dozens of meters away from the citadel and the shrine of Sayyida Khawla.
A popular pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims, the shrine of Sayyida Khawla, constructed in 1655 and expanded in 1995, sustained damage to its parking area due to nearby attacks.
The presbytery of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for the Maronite Order, built in 1858, was also damaged due to the targeting of the famed café.
Baalbek Castle, a 4,000-year-old marvel that has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1984, suffered notable damage. Although the castle itself was not directly destroyed, the northwestern outer wall sustained damage, with part of it being demolished when a civilian house in the Gouraud Barracks was targeted.
The Dome of Durus, dating back to the Ayyubid era and located at the southern entrance to Baalbek, suffered minor damage as a result of attacks on neighboring residential buildings.
The Al-Nahr Mosque, constructed on the ruins of an older mosque in 1618, experienced indirect damage from attacks targeting nearby sites. The Al-Qard al-Hassan building, just meters away, was also hit. Due to its proximity to the Al-Qard building, the historic Al-Ajami Restaurant, built in 1920 in the commercial center of Baalbek, was also affected.
Empty streets
The Palmyra Hotel, an iconic structure built in 1872, sustained damage to its rooms and façade due to the bombing of the Al-Mansheya Café across the street. This hotel has hosted many prominent world leaders, artists, and media figures throughout its storied history.
The Baalbek train station, constructed in 1913 in the Al-Mahatta neighborhood, also sustained partial damage, impacted by the bombing of a nearby house belonging to the Secretary-General of the Baath Party, Ali Hijazi.
Once a bustling hub filled with residents, visitors, and tourists from across the globe, Baalbek now lies empty. The streets that very recently echoed with voices and laughter are silent, the shops closed, and its hospitable people displaced. Those remaining speak of a profound sadness, while those who fled describe the difficulty of being away from their beloved city.
Speaking to The Cradle, Maryam Abbas, a resident of Baalbek, laments:
“We did not know its value until we left it. The old city affected all of our lives, and this is something that only those who live in it can feel. Everything in the city is mixed with our memories and our childhood, from its monuments to its streets and restaurants... I wish we had remained under the raids and did not leave them.”
For Maryam, Baalbek's citadel is the soul of the city, a symbol of its people's resilience. Any damage to it is a deep wound shared by all who call Baalbek home: “The houses will return, but the castle will not!”
Local and global efforts to save Lebanon’s heritage
In response to the city’s plight, local initiatives have stepped up to protect what is left of Baalbek’s rich heritage amidst the broader absence of state authority. Civil society organizations, in coordination with the municipalities and the General Directorate of Antiquities, have been working to safeguard the historical artifacts threatened by Israeli bombings.
The “Safe Side” association has been at the forefront of these efforts. Founder Hussein Zein al-Abidin Yaghi stresses the importance of preserving the city’s monuments, and tells The Cradle:
“Baalbek is not only for the residents of Medea, nor for the Lebanese only, but for the entire universe. It is a precious and rare jewel, and therefore efforts to preserve the antiquities there are important and must be undertaken not only by UNESCO and the United Nations, but also by the global public.”
As for the association’s efforts, he explains that they have been in communication with Baalbek's Director of Antiquities Laure Salloum since the Israeli raids began, and have worked diligently with volunteers “to collect the stones scattered as a result of the targeting of the Manshiya building to deliver them to her directorate. Although the building was targeted, some of the carved stones were still there.”
Yaghi stresses the urgent need for new international laws to protect such sites, as the existing conventions have proved insufficient. Despite UNESCO’s step to grant temporary enhanced protection to 34 Lebanese cultural sites, Yaghi called for more serious, effective measures to safeguard these irreplaceable treasures.
UNESCO’s 18 November decision to provide temporary enhanced protection to these sites, including Baalbek, and to allocate financial assistance to support emergency measures arrived only after concerted efforts from Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture, its delegation to UNESCO, parliamentarians, various civil society groups, and some global figures.
Amid reports of a fragile US-brokered ceasefire between the occupation state and the Lebanese resistance, Baalbek’s fate exposes a harsh truth: heritage is only as protected as the politics that surround it. If Baalbek truly falls, it would not be just the stones and history that are lost, but a part of our collective humanity.
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