Harissa

Far above the city of Jounieh, about 15 km north of Beirut, you will find Harissa, the mountain top where the magnificent statute of "Our Lady of Lebanon" (the Virgin Mary) overlooks Jounieh and beyond.

View from the gondola as we travel 650 meters from sea level almost straight up to the mountain top where the statue overlooks much of Lebanon.

Needless to say, there was not much conversation nor movement going up. The gondola was old and creaky. I just prayed that we'd just get to see "Our Lady of Lebanon".

The bascillica, combines the shape of the Lebanese cedar with a Phoenician ship. The hull is turned upside down in hopes of slowing the emigration of Lebanese to other countries. Through the windows behind the altar stands the statue of "Our Lady of Lebanon". This was magnificent.

Our Lady of Lebanon", built in France and dedicated to the people of Lebanon in 1908