Zgharta, or Zghorta (زغرتا Arabic) is a large town in North Lebanon, with an estimated population of around 70,000. It is the seat of Zgharta District (Qadaa' Zgharta). Zgharta is closely related to the mountain town of Ehden, essentially sharing the same population. Each summer, most Zghartawis move to their summer dwelling in Ehden; this is reversed in winter when Ehden is practically deserted. Zghartawis speak the Lebanese dialect with a distinctive accent, the original Syriac accent applied on Arabic language. Syriac was taught in local schools till the mid 1900s.

Zgharta's political influence in Lebanon has been disproportionatly larger than its size. It produced two Presidents of Lebanon: Suleiman Frangieh and Rene Moawad, and many prominent politicians: Hamid Frangieh, Suleiman Frangieh, Jr, Simon El Douaihy, Nayla Moawad, Estephan El Douaihy, Tony Frangieh, Samir Frangieh and many others. Ehden also produced at least two patriarchs of the Maronite church (Estefan El Douaihy and Hanna (John) Makhlouf El Douaihy), and an Ottoman era nationalist leader (Youssef Karam) who led a rebellion against Turkish rule. Political power in Zgharta district is dominated by a few rival families from the town: the Karam, El Douaihy, Frangieh,Mekari and Mouawad. The highest respected family is the Karam Family due to the fact that they are the children of Youssef Bek Karam, a national leader that is always remembered through Lebanon as the Prince Of Lebanon. Most of the Karam family live in Zgharta but have also found homes in Edmonton and other places in America and Europe. The surrounding villages and towns, though populous and prosperous, have little political power. The population is predominantly Christian, with Maronites being a clear majority.

Many historians agree that the name Zgharta has been derived from the Aramaic term "zaghar" meaning fortress and in Syriac, the term "Zegharteh" means barricades.

Traditionally, agriculture was a large portion of the local economy, with olives grown for olive-oil around Zgharta and apple orchards around Ehden. Recently, the service sector has seen significant growth.

Many people from the Zgharta District have emmigrated all over the world and many have been success stories in business, science and politics etc.
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ZGHARTA pics.
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=346&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=3305&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=3307&v=Photo
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http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=2800&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=347&v=Photo

EHDEN PICS.

http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=594&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=3324&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=2337&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=2279&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=823&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=6403&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=1196&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=1138&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=825&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=421&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=565&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=822&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=183&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=140&v=Photo
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http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=6411&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=5488&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=5489&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=5491&v=Photo
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http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=5347&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=3009&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=1228&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=1057&v=Photo

:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:



wow nice thread!

I love these villages, especially at night.

Zgarta is a very important city (as the description says) and I'm glad it finally has a thread.... more pics please!

WOW!!! i've only heard of zgharta .. never been there!!! its amazing... i didnt think it would b this urbanized (in the sense of buildings) ... AND it has a .com!

Question: So do the Moawad and Franjieh family members all like really hate each other... like do they attend different churches, schools, etc.? Is it common to find groups of friends that are mixed Moawad/Franjieh?

Pardon my ignorance I never really visited the town and I just wonder how it actually is there.

Question: So do the Moawad and Franjieh family members all like really hate each other... like do they attend different churches, schools, etc.? Is it common to find groups of friends that are mixed Moawad/Franjieh?

Pardon my ignorance I never really visited the town and I just wonder how it actually is there.

my encyclopedia mom says yes .. different schools and churches beacuse of a blood tar (i dont know how to translate that word) stemming from when Sleiman Franjiyeh Sr. went into a church and killed a bunch of ppl the majority of whom were members of the moawad family. she doesnt know if they intermix socially (friendships, etc)

^^ Thanks, I kinda had a feeling that was the case but I didnt know about the church shooting - was that during the war because of political differences or personal?

i visit zgharta like at least once a month. my husband has family there. but really ..its kind of boring. there is nice scenry...but the town has little offer aside from scenery...
--------------now the photos of ehden...are to amazing!!!! so beautifull!!! i could fall asleep there and never want to wake up..

When I was in Zgharta, I went to a newly built lake/resort area... it was soo awesome with the restaurants, cafes, and a breathaking lake!

my encyclopedia mom says yes .. different schools and churches beacuse of a blood tar (i dont know how to translate that word) stemming from when Sleiman Franjiyeh Sr. went into a church and killed a bunch of ppl the majority of whom were members of the moawad family. she doesnt know if they intermix socially (friendships, etc)

The old rivalry was between the Franjiyyehs and the Dwaihis, the mo`awwads are too small a family to be a threat to the franjiyyehs. The "massacre" in the church in the fifties was committed against the dwaihis, the political rivalry with the mou`awwads is quite recent and more political than social.
And yes, these large families end up intermarrying, they're quite large, and the conflict is often elite-based. It is not like in "Asterix in Corsica" where whenever a Franjiyeh sees a Dwaihi or a Mou`awwad he spits on the ground.

Saydet Zgharta Hospital .
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=4790&v=Photo
The René Mouawad Surgery , Zgharta .
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=2009&v=Photo
Ehden Hospital .
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=69&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=70&v=Photo

Ehden has a thriving nightlife on weekends in the summer but the 2 villages don't have a beautiful architecture

EHDEN IN WINTER.
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=894&v=Photo
EHDEN IN SUMMER.
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=827&v=Photo

Very beautiful! Thank you!

^^ this is just beautiful tnxs hassoun

Al Midan Le Parisien
The last stage of the Al Midan pavement programme undertaken by the Zgharta Ehden Municipal Council has now been completed, in readiness for the weekend of Saturday 8th/Sunday 9th July 2006.The photo was taken on 9 July 2006.
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=6720&v=Photo
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http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=6583&v=Photo
http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=6584&v=Photo

very nice :)

That Town is AWSOME

i was planning to visit this place this summer, but :(

hope i can do it in winter.

WOW this place is BEAUTIFUL!!:eek2:


lol, i know, 6 mothns of zero activity, but, hey im browsingg through all the cities/villages threadds

any more???

Very beautiful towns.

Nadini/Beirut! shouldn't this thread either be split or renamed Zgharta and Ehden as they're two different places?

two different places,but almost the same pple,,,,but i donnu,,,it's mods decision anyway.

these are really nice photos....but some of them arent from zgarta...bcz my husband has relatives there...and we get there by traveling into the mountians from tripolli going east....and its sourounded by mountian...i dont know about the photos when the ocean view:nuts:

those pics with the ocean view are taken from Ehden - Zgharta's oldest sister :p ...

hey everybody!!!!!

"ana zghertewe!!"

im from zghorta , i'm living here since i was 9! and btw... lirtain... its true that zghorta and ehden are two different places, but if you ask all Zghorta's residents where do they spend they're summer time... they "Ehden"!

HEYY bro.. IM also "zgharteww!!" welcome to this forum!

lirtain... its true that zghorta and ehden are two different places, but if you ask all Zghorta's residents where do they spend they're summer time... they "Ehden"!

Ok.. I hope you guys enjoy your time there.. it's a great place to spend summers

^^here are some more pics of the neighbouring town of Ehden :

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1684/dscn1690vx7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/488/dscn1699oa4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/3637/dscn1700xn7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/3976/dscn1701rw3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/641/dscn1717nt3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/985/dscn1718gp9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/3672/dscn1719cs4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/542/dscn1721yo1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/2995/dscn1725wc1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/4494/dscn1729th3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/504/dscn1730dt0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/3391/dscn1731iy0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

view from ehden towards the sea and the city of Tripoli:

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/3476/dscn1705fx9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4114/dscn1706qg8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/889/dscn1710hd0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/1411/dscn1711dl1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/914/dscn1712xf6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
zoom in on tripoli from ehden:
http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6202/dscn1735gg7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


hilltop church with statue of the virgin mary :

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2149/dscn1720mi4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://photos-147.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v80/166/27/513252147/n513252147_50755_9534.jpg

http://photos-147.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v80/166/27/513252147/n513252147_50772_6552.jpg

http://photos-147.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v80/166/27/513252147/n513252147_50756_9853.jpg

http://photos-147.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v80/166/27/513252147/n513252147_50754_9217.jpg

http://photos-147.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v72/166/27/513252147/n513252147_50699_5721.jpg

http://photos-147.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v80/166/27/513252147/n513252147_43247_9189.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/393821902_1791943cf6.jpg?v=0

Ehden Lake

http://i38.tinypic.com/ivhjyh.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/oidjdd.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/2mwyr7q.jpg

February 17th 2009

http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=9908&v=Photo

http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=9909&v=Photo

http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=9910&v=Photo

http://www.zgharta.com/cgi-bin/zgallery/jump.cgi?ID=9911&v=Photo

Ehden

Feb 26 2009

Courtesy of conjure1

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3634/3372468556_58fa002d08_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3546/3371646775_945c2c17b5_o.jpg

^^ im speechless

The landscape around the city is very beautiful, the city has few buildings not well maintained, which gives a bad impression, but the city is not bad to be a great place to visit in winter

Ehden Lake

http://i38.tinypic.com/ivhjyh.jpg

this is not ehden lake
this is bnish3i lake
its in the vicinity of the town of bnish3i
it is far from ehden.... very close to zgharta

Im from zgartha!!!:):) but iv ben there only 2 or 3 times :S but i go to ehden every summer with my cousins though

July 2009

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/7420/cimg1118.jpg
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/7586/cimg1121bs.jpg
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8898/cimg1123z.jpg

Courtesy of Wassim (taken Sept. 2009)

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss61/budkheir/wassim.jpg

Ehden

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/12.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/13.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/1CACCR6IZ.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/29.jpg

http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww207/MARTYR_92/41.jpg

Courtesy of vamos todos
Ehden

http://i48.tinypic.com/2qbeidt.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/xlfllh.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/2m3s2zl.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/etd2kz.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/2db5hug.jpg

courtesy of vamos todos
ehden

http://i45.tinypic.com/vpzpue.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/ml16qx.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/120jksp.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/28asyvd.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/inqyi8.jpg

lake bnesh3e

http://www.yasour.org/eup/uploads/2172010-202%20(1).jpg

http://www.yasour.org/eup/uploads/2172010-202%20(2).jpg

http://www.yasour.org/eup/uploads/2172010-202%20(3).jpg

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http://www.yasour.org/eup/uploads/2172010-202%20(9).jpg

http://www.yasour.org/eup/uploads/2172010-202%20(10).jpg

ehden

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs153.ash2/41007_467245486048_249901936048_6730066_113273_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs923.snc4/73653_493045266048_249901936048_7277202_7405733_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs058.snc6/168838_10150120574481049_249901936048_7929006_1201134_n.jpg

^^ Ehden is just too good to be true,3njad!!!

Simply beautiful!!!!

Bump :)

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb354/Graeme_Lide/5970936.jpg

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/20200910.jpg

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb354/Graeme_Lide/12239309.jpg

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb354/Graeme_Lide/6545334.jpg

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb354/Graeme_Lide/26455593.jpg

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb354/Graeme_Lide/6605793.jpg

Such a beautiful town! :cheers: Lebanon is a beautiful place

Travel postcard: A visit to the pearl of Lebanon

29 September 2011

EHDEN, Lebanon: Ehden, the pearl of north Lebanon’s mountain towns, has not gained its touristic reputation for nothing. With its idyllic mountain climate, proximity to Beirut, and wide variety of tourist attractions to please the daredevil or food connoisseur alike, Ehden remains one of the hottest destinations in Lebanon.

Ehden has an altitude of 1450 m above sea level. It is conveniently located 110 km from Beirut, 30 km from Tripoli and only a 20-minute car ride from the Cedars. With 10 hotels available, hospitality is one of the town’s strongest points. Grand Hotel Abshi and Ehden Country Club are two of the favored destinations.

Grand Hotel Abshi, founded in 1932, has rooms usually occupied by tourists who stay for two to three days, and chalets for those who stay for one to two months. Many Lebanese come to have weddings at this hotel, usually in the spring or summer months. “It has 100 percent occupancy on the weekends. It’s completely full!” says hotel receptionist Rita Bedrosian, “but is less on the weekdays.”

Ehden Country Club, another reputable competitor has 160 units. It differentiates itself from other hotels by having extra facilities, such as its three pools and multiple restaurants. It also offers team building retreats for university students and companies, and has partnerships with travel agencies allowing guests to book day trips through the hotel. Ehden Country Club also offers a kids club with ping pong tables, tennis courts, archery classes and kids pools.

With more than 40 restaurants in Ehden, no tourist can ever go hungry. One of the most well known restaurants Al Fardaws holds true to high expectations. If the large hoards of people indulging in the traditional Lebanese cuisine, and the scenic mountain view do not convince you of the restaurant’s prestige, then your taste buds will. The succulent meat, fresh vegetables, savory mezzes and delectable desserts will leave you feeling completely satisfied.

Another favorite eatery is the patisserie Fouad Jer Doueihy.

“I think everyone eats here because they trust our brand, it is very well known,” says manager Sarkis Doueihy. Established in 1919, the patisserie is known for mouthwatering Lebanese sweets, including halawat el-jeben and other traditional sweets such as knefe, baklava and maamoul. It is located in the center of Ehden’s most popular center Al-Midan.

Al-Midan, the town square, is one of the main recreational places to enjoy in Ehden. After a full day of sightseeing, tourists and locals alike unwind in the square while enjoying desserts, smoking narguileh, eating or drinking coffee in the many restaurants and cafes. With more than 10 nightclubs near Al-Midan, young partygoers can hop from one place to the other with ease, staying out until the early hours of the morning.

Besides food and drink, the town of Ehden also offers a rich history. The town has more than 15 churches: St. Sarkis Convent, Church of Mar Mama, Sayidat Al-Husun and St. Georges Church – home of the statue of 19th century national hero, Yousef Beik Karam. One of the most captivating sites has to be the Monastery of St. Anthony that possesses the first printing press in the Middle East, which printed “The Book of Psalms” in 1610.

Despite this rich history, Ehden’s main attraction is the striking natural beauty of the surrounding mountains – a characteristic that local proprietors understand must be preserved for their sake and for future generations of Lebanese and visitors to enjoy.

“Without environment there is no tourism, and without tourism there is no one to appreciate the environment. We have to work together,” says Jamil Moawad, the manager of the Ehden Country Club. The institutions of Ehden work with environmental committees to preserve the environment as best they can. With its towering mountains, proximity to the world-renowned Qadisha Valley and the ever-flowing Spring of Ehden, the town is a tree huggers paradise. Horsh Ehden, four kilometers east of Ehden is a protected zone for thousands of trees, 500 species of flowering plants and wild animals. The lush forests and adjacent mountain areas provide an ideal environment for many outdoor adventures – cave explorations, off-road trips in 4x4 jeeps, mountain biking, hiking in the Qanoubine Valley, mountain climbing and rappelling, parasailing, horseback riding and camping.

“The Ehden touch is completely unique; this makes it different from other places in Lebanon. Everyone is very hospitable and receives guests with a smile,” says Moawad.

This claim is most certainly true as tourists notice the genuine hospitality of the locals from the moment they pile out of their minivans until they check out of their hotels. The locals treat guests more like relatives than customers, giving Ehden a one-up on the myriad of other attractions this region has to offer.

“This is what makes tourists want to come back,” comments Moawad.

© Copyright The Daily Star 2011.

great place!

Omg Ehden and Zgharta are so beautiful, i liked that pictures so much i even created this account to comment on this thread!

Congratulations and hope to see more pics of there, also hope to visit that place someday.