Tire is also an important religious center; it was here that the first Christian communities appeared. The city is also mentioned in the Bible as one of the places where Jesus Christ visited; here he performed his first miracle. Since 1979, Tire has been protected by UNESCO as a city classified as a world treasure.

Now the old part of Tire is located on the peninsula, and the new part is on the mainland. There are few hotels in the city (about 2-3), but tourists do not have problems with accommodation; there is enough room for everyone. Prices for hotel rooms are quite reasonable.

Tourists are mainly attracted by the ruins of Tire from the Roman Empire. The Roman road leading to the Arc de Triomphe, which in Roman times was the entrance to the city, has been perfectly preserved to this day. On both sides of the road along the entire route there are many sarcophagi carved from stone and marble. And one of the sides of the road is accompanied by an aqueduct. In the 2nd century. A hippodrome was built on the territory of Tire, the ruins of which are well preserved. Every summer the hippodrome hosts an arts festival. During the Roman Empire, the hippodrome accommodated 20,000 spectators and was 480 meters long.

In Tyre, it is also worth seeing the Eshmun Palace, the Colosseum, two ports from the time of King Hiram, and the ruins of a Crusader temple.

Perhaps the most colorful part of Tire is the fishing harbor: a quiet pier, an abundance of fishing boats, workshops where these same boats are made using technology that has remained unchanged for several centuries. You can relax in one of the cafes or restaurants located in the harbor.

Walking from the fishing harbor towards the lighthouse, you will see the al-Mina excavations. Be sure to take a walk here and get to know the city as it was many centuries ago. At the entrance there is a large shopping area from the Roman Empire era, passing through the square, on the main street you will see a theater. Water games were once held here. The theater is a rectangular building, the seats are arranged in five tiers, and a system of tanks is placed around the theater. Behind the theater is a sports complex with baths, where wrestlers trained. Very interesting place– Cathedral of the Holy Cross, built in the 12th century. Now all that remains of it are the base of granite columns, and previously the cathedral was the place of coronation of the rulers of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. According to some reports, it is here that the remains of Frederick Barbarossa, an outstanding German emperor, are buried. During the existence of Phenicia, on the site of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross there was a temple of the god Melqart, who was considered the patron saint of Tyre.

Every year Tire hosts a festival where folklore performers from all over the Mediterranean perform. This festival is held on the ruins of a stadium from the times of the Roman Empire. If you want to learn more about the East and its culture, then you should definitely visit the Festival of Folklore Performers in Tire.

Attractions in the vicinity of Tire

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus Christ performed his first great miracle, turning water into wine, at the wedding celebrations at Cana. There is still lively debate about where the biblical city of Cana was located, but Lebanese residents are sure that the miracle happened in the town of Cana, located 10 km southeast of Tire. Evidence of the miraculous transformation of drinks, of course, has not survived, but the main attraction of the village - Kana's cave - is well worth attention. According to legend, this is where Jesus spent the night before performing the miracle. On the way to the cave, pay attention to the ancient wall bas-reliefs carved into the rock, depicting the life of the Savior (The cave is open from 8 a.m. to sunset, entrance costs 4,000 LBP for adults and 2,000 LBP for children).

Continuing the journey another 18 km, you can reach the town of Tibnin to admire the 12th century Crusader castle built on a hill in the center of the city. In clear weather, the castle walls offer breathtaking views of fields, mountains and the coast.

Nutrition

Fast food establishments cluster on the busy Abu Deeb street. They serve the ubiquitous falafel and shawarma; The most popular eatery among the locals is called Abu Deeb. For something more substantial, we recommend going to the Tanit restaurant near the fishing port. Their specialties are a huge amount of meze, steaks and a bar with foreign spirits, beloved by NATO soldiers. Another pleasant option is called “Tiros” - there is delicious food at affordable prices, and on Saturdays there is live music. For a pompous dinner, head straight to the “Little Phoenician”, which is in the old port - the “trick” there is delicious fish dishes and an open terrace above the ancient pier.

Accommodation

It is especially not customary to stay overnight in Tire - it is quite possible to see archaeological sites during daylight hours. However, for fans of the excavations, there are several accommodation options that are especially convenient if you decide to head to Sidon the next morning. The most pompous hotel has the simple name “Rest House” and offers spacious modern rooms, an excellent restaurant, a cozy bar, two outdoor swimming pools and a private sand beach for 140-170 USD (suites are also available for 400 USD). A simpler option, but no less charming, is the Al-Fanar hotel-restaurant. There is a homely atmosphere here, they prepare delicious traditional dishes and ask you to pay an affordable 70-90 USD per night.

Transport

Considering the small size of Tyr, you can easily get around it on foot. If by the end of the day you are quite tired from walking, a taxi is at your service. Meters have not been heard of in Tire since the time of Queen Elissa, so you should discuss the amount of payment with the driver before boarding the taxi.

How to get to Tyre

The easiest way to get to Tire is by road from Beirut - buses, minibuses and service minibuses operate on the route. The bus ride will take from one to one and a half hours and will cost 3,000 LBP; they depart every 15 minutes from 5 am to 9 pm from the Cola transport station in the Lebanese capital. Minibuses from Beirut limp along for one to two hours, depending on the driver’s skills; travel will cost 2000-3000 LBP. "Service" is the fastest way to get to Tyre. The cars set off as soon as all the seats are filled; fare - 10-15 thousand LBP.

A trip to Tire can be combined with a visit to Sidon - buses run between the two cities, travel time is about 30-45 minutes, the fare will cost 1,500 LBP.

Story

Tire is the mother of the Phoenician peoples. One legend tells about the founding of the city. The appearance of Tire is associated with the Phoenician god Melqart, who was the son of the goddess Astarte. According to legend, it was at the birthplace of Melqart that the ancient Phoenician city was founded. The same legend says that even before the first settlement appeared on the site of Tyre, this small piece of land moved freely across the Mediterranean Sea. Later, by order of Melkar, they found the place where he was born and sacrificed an eagle; when the blood of a majestic bird fell on the rocks of the island, the island stopped at a distance of about 800 meters from the shore. In the 28th century BC, the inhabitants of the town built a temple in honor of Melqart, in gratitude for this he allowed the townspeople to colonize a fairly large area of ​​​​the coast Mediterranean Sea. In front of the entrance to the temple there were two columns made of pure gold, each 9 meters high. People walked around the temple territory barefoot; a ritual of sacrifice took place here every day, which was accompanied by dancing.

In the 6th century BC, Tyre was destroyed by the army of Nebuchadnezzar, but the conquerors did not achieve their goal, they wanted to get gold and jewelry, and most of the inhabitants managed to collect all their property with them and move to an island near Tyre. A new shooting gallery was built there. The mainland, next to which these two islands were located, was for them protection from storms. In the 9th century BC. The islands were connected by an isthmus to the mainland by order of King Hiram, thereby forming an artificial cape. During the time of Alexander the Great, the isthmus was destroyed, and in its place a pier was built, which was much larger than the isthmus. Makedonsky personally poured the first two buckets of sand into the base of the dam. All work on the construction of the dam was carried out manually. Cedar trunks brought from the mountains of Lebanon were driven into the bottom of the sea, and residents were forced to demolish their houses to fully provide them with building materials. Thus, the island eventually turned into a peninsula. By the way, it is worth noting that Tire is the only city that did not surrender to Alexander the Great without a fight; the inhabitants preferred a bloody war to a humiliating peace and fought as best they could for the honor of their hometown. Some details of the battles and examples of heroic deeds of the inhabitants that have survived to this day are known. When the ships of Alexander the Great anchored, thereby blocking the harbor, the inhabitants of Tire swam to them and cut the anchor ropes. After this incident, by order of Alexander the Great, the ropes on all ships were replaced anchor chains. The siege lasted seven months, after which Alexander the Great seized power into his own hands. A significant part of the population of Tire was killed, and those who managed to survive were soon sold into slavery. It was during the reign of Alexander the Great that Lebanese cedar became rare tree, this was caused by the fact that Alexander, in addition to building the dam, also used cedar in the manufacture of ships; cedar forests were massively cut down. During Phoenician times, Tire was famous for its glass and textiles. The traders of Tire carried out a peaceful expansion of the Mediterranean in order to find sources of raw materials and markets for their products. It was Tire that was the first city where they began to use money - minted coins. The development of the city was influenced by Phenicia. The shooting range developed quite quickly. A number of naval expeditions across the Mediterranean began from Tire, including to Spain and beyond Gibraltar. In the 18th century, the city became one of the most important suppliers of building materials along the entire Mediterranean coast. At different times the city was in power different countries and rulers, experienced many events, in memory of which interesting monuments, temples, ruins, etc. remained.

One of the most unusual prophecies in the Bible concerns fate ancient city Tyra. It is not surprising that this example is used by almost all books written in defense of Christianity. The reason for this will soon become clear to you. (592-570 BC):

The prophecies about Tire were fulfilled in stages with amazing accuracy. Taken together, biblical prophecies provide grounds for viewing history as one multifaceted process.

Tyre was the center of the slave trade. Disgusting forms of idolatry, human sacrifices, and the burning of captives in honor of idols accompanied the holidays of the Tyrians. Old Tire (Paleotir) was located on the shore, and nearby, on an island, a new Tire grew up. It was an impregnable fortress.

Book of Ezekiel 26 Chapter

3. ...Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you. Tyre, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea raises its waves.
4. And they will break down the walls of Tyre and destroy its towers; and I will sweep away his dust from him and make him bare rock.
7 For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, against Tire from the north, with horses and chariots and horsemen and an army and a great people.
8. He will slay your daughters on earth with the sword and build siege towers against you, and build a rampart against you and place shields against you...
11 And they will plunder your wealth and spoil your goods, and destroy your walls, and break down your beautiful houses, and throw your stones and your trees and your land into the water.
14 And I will make you a naked rock, you will be a place for spreading snares; you will not be built again, for I the Lord have spoken this, says the Lord GOD.
21. I will make you a terror, and you will not be found, and they will seek you, but will never find you, says the Lord God.

Predictions

1. Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the continental city of Tire (26:8).
2. Many nations will go to war against Tire (26:3).
3. The city will become a flat, bare rock (26:4).
4. In the place where the city was, the fishermen will spread their nets (26:5).
5. The remains of the city will be thrown into the water (26:12).
6. The shooting gallery will never be rebuilt (26:14).
7. He will never be found again (26:21).
The predictions we talked about earlier spoke for themselves. Such predictions may seem contradictory. Fortunately, history knows no contradictions. We can only consider the history of Tyre and compare it with the prophecies of Ezekiel.

Execution

As a secular historian noted, "Ezekiel's anger, especially in verse 27:27, shows how important ancient Tire was in the eyes of the prophet, and how varied and rich was the trade of that city."

Nebuchadnezzar

Nebuchadnezzar began the siege of Tire three years after the prophecy. The Encyclopedia Britannica notes that "after a thirteen-year siege (from 585 to 573 BC)

Nebuchadnezzar II Tire made concessions and recognized the power of Babylon. In 538 BC. together with the rest of Phenicia, this city came under the rule of Persia, where the Achaemenid dynasty ruled." When Nebuchadnezzar burst into the city, he found it almost empty. Most of the population by ship crossed to an island that lay about a kilometer from the coast, and founded a new fortified city there .

Old Tire was destroyed in 573 (prediction 1), but Tire on the island remained a powerful city for several more centuries.

Alexander the Great

“During his war with Persia,” writes the Encyclopedia Britannica, “Alexander III, having defeated Darius III at the Battle of Issus (333 BC), moved south to Egypt, calling on the Phoenician cities to open

he has his own gates. Alexander's overall plan was to stop the use of these cities by the Persian fleet. The citizens of Tire refused to surrender, and then Alexander laid siege to the city.

Having no fleet, he destroyed the old Tire, located on the continent, and from its debris he built a dam 60 m wide across the strait that separated the old and new town. At the far end of the dam he erected towers and military engines" (Prediction 5). The ancient historian Curtius wrote that during the construction of the dam, wood from Mount Lebanon was used (for beams), and earth and stones were taken from old Tire (Prediction 5).

From the works of the Greek historian Arrian, we learn in detail about how the difficult task of conquering Tire was accomplished. This city was partly located on the continent, and partly on an island, where an exceptionally strong fortress was located. Having taken the mainland city, Nebuchadnezzar went around the island part of Tire. Alexander, as Arrian narrates, intended to take the entire city. The enterprise was difficult.

The island was entirely surrounded by strong walls that reached the very coastline. The inhabitants of Tire, like Alexander's enemies - the Persians led by Darius, controlled the sea, but this Greek commander decided to build an artificial spit that would reach the fortress. At first the work progressed well, but as the dam was built, the depth of the sea grew, and the inhabitants of Tire made increasingly frequent forays against the attackers.

Because of their high walls they could cause significant harm to the attackers, especially if we remember that the latter were prepared for work rather than war, and did not wear armor, but ordinary work clothes. The forays of the inhabitants of Tire onto the dam under construction seriously slowed down its construction. To counteract the besieged, Alexander built two watchtowers with soldiers on the dam.
After this, the inhabitants of Tire launched a very successful raid on the dam.

They set fire to the watchtowers with the help of special ships and landed numerous troops, expelling the Greeks from the dam, causing as much damage as they could. Arrian further writes about naval battles. Realizing that he needed ships, Alexander demanded them from the conquered cities and regions. His fleet was thus created; about 80 ships were supplied by Sidon, Arad and Byblos, 10 by Rhodes, 3 by Soli and Mallos, 10 by Lycia, one big ship- Macedonia, and 120 - Cyprus (Prediction2).

With such a powerful fleet, it was only a matter of time before Alexander conquered Tire using an earthen causeway. Despite interference from Darius, Alexander's enemy, the dam was eventually built, the walls of the city were destroyed and the city itself was destroyed. “A wide dam,” writes Philip Myers, “connecting the shore with

island, has survived to this day. When the city was taken after a seven-month siege, eight thousand inhabitants were killed and thirty thousand were sold into slavery."
It is no wonder that the inhabitants of Tire aroused such hatred among the Greeks.

The city's defenders used all available methods - including not the most plausible ones. “The defense of Tire and its complete fall to the Greek conquerors is a very sad event,” says John C. Beck. Here is an interesting quote from a history textbook written by secular scholar Philip Myers: “Alexander the Great reduced Tire to ruins (332 BC).

The city recovered to a certain extent from this blow, but never again occupied the same place in the world as before. Most of the place where this once lay great city, now looks like a bare rock (Prediction 3) - a place where the fishermen, still numerous in those parts, spread their nets to dry" (Prediction 4). John Beck writes about the fall of Tyre in a historical perspective: "The history of Tyre did not stop after its conquest by Alexander. It was rebuilt again and besieged again until, finally, sixteen centuries later, Tire was completely and irrevocably destroyed."

Antigonus

“Returning from the victorious wars in Babylonia,” writes Nina Jidejian, “Antigone easily conquered the Phoenician cities until he encountered stubborn resistance from Tire. Eighteen years have passed since the conquest of this city by Alexander, and it managed to rapidly revive... To conquer Tire, Antigonus it took a fifteen-month siege." Simple arithmetic shows that these events took place in 314 BC. According to International Standard biblical encyclopedia, King Ptolemy II (Philadelphus) reigned from 285 to 247 BC. Jidejian continues:

"When Ptolemy Philadelphus built the Berenicean harbor on the Red Sea, paved a road with villages and wells to Koptos and re-opened the canal connecting the Pelusian branch of the Nile with the Gulf of Suez. Tire was dealt a fatal blow. Ships belonging to Tire used to sail from the Red Sea and the Indian "Ocean through the port of Elot to Rhinocolura in Phenicia via Petra, and then to various ports of the Mediterranean. Now the sailors sailed through the channel to Alexandria, where all the wealth that in the old days came to Tire was sent."

The researcher cites the story of the Persian traveler Nasir-i-Khusraw, who visited Tire in 1047 AD. “They built their city on a rock, in the sea, in such a way that the city government is located on the continent, on an area about a hundred meters long, while the rest rises directly from the water.

The walls are made of cut stone, the seams are layered with resin so that water does not penetrate through them. The area of ​​the city reaches a thousand square arshins, its caravanserais are built five to six floors, towering above each other. The city has many fountains, its markets are clean, and its wealth is great. This city of Tire is generally famous among the Syrian ports for its wealth and power. Mashhad, a temple dedicated to the martyrs, was erected at the city gates, where you can see a great variety of carpets, hanging decorations, lamps and lamps of gold and silver. The city itself stands on a hill. Water comes into it from the mountain, through an aqueduct that reaches the city gates."

Muslims

Since the city was once taken by Muslims, the Crusaders also fought for it, eventually capturing the island. During the Crusades, it served as an important stronghold, but was still recaptured by the Muslims. This is how the historian Joseph Michaud describes it: “Having taken and destroyed Ptolemais, the Sultan sent one of his emirs with a detachment of troops to conquer Tire, and the city, gripped by horror, opened its gates without resistance... These cities, which did not give any help to Ptolemais in a decisive battle, they believed that they were under the protection of a truce. But their population was killed, scattered, sold into slavery: the rage of the Muslims spread even to the stones of these cities, and it seemed that they

seek to destroy the very land on which Christians walked. Their houses, temples, monuments, their households and everything that makes up the pride of Christians - all this was destroyed along with the inhabitants with the help of fire and sword" (Prediction 6).

“In 690 (1291) the city was again taken by the Muslims at the same time as Acre and other coastal cities. Destroyed, it lies in ruins to this day,” wrote the Arab historian Abulfiela in 1321.

Lestrange quotes another Arab historian, Ibn Batuta, who visited the ruins of Tire in 1355. “The power of this city, which was washed on three sides by the sea, has become a proverb. Nowadays, only ruins remain of the ancient walls and port, and the chain blocking the mouth of the port has been preserved from the old days” (Prediction 6).

Pliny the Elder, whom we quote from Nina Jidejian, sums it up as follows: “Tire... once famous as the mother of the cities of Leptis, Utica, Carthage, the great rival of Rome in the struggle for world domination, as well as Cadiz, founded outside the inhabited world; but all the wealth and glory of Tire now consists of lobsters and purple dye obtained from shells" (Prediction 7).

Current situation of Tyre

Ina Jidejian describes today's Tire (now Sur): "This port is still in use today. Small fishing boats anchor here. In the foundation former city granite columns from Roman times are visible, which were used to strengthen the walls built by the Crusaders. The port has become a fishing harbor and a place where fishermen dry their nets."

“As the prophet predicted, Tire was supposed to turn into a place for drying fishing nets,” writes another researcher. “Today’s Sur is a town built on the coast at some distance from the ancient one. On the site of old Tire now stands a fishing village, which is not a refutation , but the final fulfillment of the prophecy.

Tyre, king of the seas, the craft and commercial center of the world for centuries, perished, never to be reborn. Fishermen spreading their nets on the rocks that once served as the foundation of an ancient city, the last link in the chain of Ezekiel’s prophecies made twenty-five centuries ago" (Prediction 4). Nina Jidejian in her wonderful book writes in conclusion that "the stones of Tyre can be found in in such remote places as Acre and Beirut. And yet the evidence of its great past is very numerous.

Recent archaeological excavations have discovered several successive layers of this proud Phoenician port... The great ancient city of Tire rests beneath layers of accumulated ruins. Above ground, only the remains of an aqueduct, several columns scattered throughout the territory, and the ruins of a Christian chapel were found... Looking into the water, you can see massive granite columns and stone blocks scattered along the seabed. Until recently there were almost no ruins of Tyre above ground level."

Specific fulfillment of prophecies

We have outlined the history of the ancient city of Tyre. Let's see how it compares with Ezekiel's specific predictions.

1. Nebuchadnezzar did destroy the old (continental) city of Tire.

2. Many nations went to war against Tyre. “The peculiarity of the waves is that they come one after another, exerting a destructive effect through successive continuous impacts,” notes John Beck. “The prophecies of Ezekiel should therefore be understood as predicting a series of conquests over a long period of time.

In the light of this interpretation, the content of Art. 4-6. First of all, “they will break down the walls of Tire and destroy its towers” ​​(conquest by Nebuchadnezzar). Then “I will sweep away his dust from him and make him a bare rock” (siege by Alexander the Great). And finally, “he will be a plunder for the nations” (the story following the siege of Alexander the Great).”

3. Alexander the Great, building his dam for the siege of the island fortress, destroyed the old Tyre, turning it into a “bare rock”.

4. The spreading of fishing nets on the site of old Tire has been repeatedly noted by researchers, including secular scholars and historians. “Pale turquoise fishing nets were drying on the shore...” Nina Nelson writes about a trip to Tire. “It’s unlikely that even one stone of ancient Tyre lies in its place,” wrote Hans-Wolf Racl, “as the prophet predicted. Tyre has become a place where fishermen dry their nets.”

5. While building his dam, Alexander threw into the water what was left of the city. "Ezekiel's prophecy that the 'stones, trees, and earth' of Tyre would be 'thrown into the water,'" writes Joseph Free, "was exactly fulfilled when Alexander the Great's sappers built a siege dam using the rubble of ancient Tire on the mainland as material." , and laying them in water." Nina Nelson, in her Guide to Lebanon, notes that "the ruins of ancient Tire are unique because they lie in the heart of the sea."

6. The city of Tire will never be rebuilt. “You will not be built again,” the prophet predicted. In his book "Fundamentals of the Christian Faith," Floyd Hamilton emphasizes that other cities were rebuilt more than once after conquest. “Jerusalem was destroyed more than once, but each time it rose from the ruins. There was nothing to indicate that the city of Tire would not be restored.

And yet, twenty-five centuries ago, the Jewish prophet, in his Babylonian exile, looked into the future at the command of the Lord and inscribed the words “and you will not be rebuilt again.” The voice of God sounded, and ancient Tyre remains to this day a bare rock abandoned by man! Anyone who wants to know the location of the former city will be pointed to a stretch of coastline where not a single section of ruin remains.

The city disappeared from the face of the earth and was never rebuilt." On the site of ancient Tire is Reseline, a bountiful spring fresh water, undoubtedly at one time feeding the ancient city. This spring is still there and is just as abundant, but its waters flow into the sea. According to experts, the fresh water flow reaches about 37 million liters per day. This amount is enough to supply even a large modern city - and yet Tire was never rebuilt, in other words, Ezekiel's prophecy has not been broken for more than 2500 years.

7. The city will never be found again. Most commentators agree that the real location of the destroyed Tyre can no longer be established. Probably, these words can be more accurately interpreted in the sense that people will not be looking for the place where Tire was located, but for the return of the city to its former wealth and glory.

It is hard to believe that it is impossible to find the ruins of a city that once occupied an entire island and was surrounded by walls that went down to the water. Some people still do not accept the fulfillment of the prophecy that Tire will never be rebuilt, because in its place there is a fishing village. The existence of the village cannot be denied, but the prophecy itself should not be denied on this basis.

Indeed, if we remember it in its entirety, we will find that Tire should turn into a place for spreading fishing nets, which is exactly what happened. To spread the nets, the owners of these nets are needed, that is, fishermen. They, in turn, need to live somewhere, and if they spread their nets on the site of the ancient city, according to the prophecy, then they are unlikely to build their village 10 kilometers from it - they will live where their nets are located.

When Tire was destroyed in 1291, it perished and was never rebuilt. The settlement that arose in its place resembled ancient Tire no more than, say, the city of Seattle or Vladivostok.

“I visited Sur on a summer day,” recalls Nina Nelson. “The town was sleepy, calm reigned over the harbor. Pale turquoise fishing nets were drying on the shore.”

Hans-Wolf Rackl in “Underwater Archaeology” notes that “it is unlikely that even a single stone of ancient Tire lies in its place... The settlers who appeared after the destruction of the city used its ruins to build their own huts. As the prophet predicted, Tire became to a place for drying fishing nets."

In his book Travels in Lebanon, Philip Ward admits that "Since then (1261) agriculture and fishing, two occupations of peaceful and modest people, first turned Tire into a provincial corner."

In his statistical analysis, Peter Stoner uses seven of Ezekiel's predictions, six of which are the same as those given in this chapter (1-6). “If Ezekiel’s predictions at one time were made on the basis of human wisdom,” the researcher writes, “then the probability of the fulfillment of all seven prophecies would be one chance in 75 million. Nevertheless, they all came true down to the smallest detail.”

Buses from Beirut to Sidon (Saidou) depart from the bus station at Cola intersection, depart when full, usually 5-15 minutes. Ticket price to Sidon is 1000-1500 Lebanese pounds. Travel time is a little over 1 hour.

Sidon (Saida, as the locals call it), the third largest city in Lebanon, is located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, 40 km south of Beirut. In ancient times, Sidon was one of the main Phoenician cities and possibly the oldest. Sidon was often conquered and passed from hand to hand: the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Egyptians, the Greeks and, finally, the Romans. Herod the Great, Saint Paul and Jesus Christ are said to have visited this city. The city was later conquered first by the Arabs and then by the Ottoman Turks.

I read in traveler reports that Sidon is a very pleasant city and many spent even 2-3 days there, but half a day was enough for me to see the most interesting things. I especially liked Old city, which stretches between Sea Castle and St. Louis Castle. The old town is a labyrinth of narrow streets, where life is still in full swing and where it is interesting to walk and you can even get lost. On these streets there are souvenir shops, workshops, mini shops and pastry shops with baked goods prepared according to ancient recipes. There is also a colorful old market (Old Souk) located in the old town. I wandered through these streets for almost two hours.

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On December 4, 1110, Sidon was captured by the crusaders and became the capital of the Seigneury of Sidon, the state of the crusaders. The Arabs, led by Saladin, recaptured the city in 1187, but after another 10 years the German crusaders regained power over the city. Sidon remained an important city for the Crusaders until it was completely destroyed by the Saracens in 1249, and then again by the Mongols (can you imagine where the Mongols got??) in 1260.
In the 13th century, during the reign of the Crusaders in Sidon: on a small island off the coast, the Sea Castle was built, which in our time has become the main attraction of the city. Since then, the castle has been destroyed and restored many times; the castle has survived to this day in a dilapidated state, but tourists can examine it and imagine what it looked like 800 years ago.

12) Sea Castle in Sidon (admission fee, 3000 pounds).

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15) View of the old town from the castle

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After seeing the main attractions in Sidon, I immediately drove further south along the coast to Tire. You can catch a bus almost anywhere on the main road that runs along the coast, I did it right at the Crusader castle. The buses stop themselves and almost all of them go south to Tire or north to Beirut, depending on which side of the road you stand on. The fare costs about 1000 or 1500 pounds. From Sidon to Tire is about 40 km or about an hour by bus.

Tyre, or as the locals call it Syr, is one of the oldest Phoenician cities, where the Phoenician “conquest of the Mediterranean” began. Tyre is the birthplace of the legendary Europa, which was abducted from there by Zeus in the form of a bull. This fact alone already shows how rich the historical heritage of this city is. According to Herodotus, Tire as a city appeared in 2750 BC. and in ancient times it was surrounded by huge (46 meters high) walls.
Only Roman ruins have survived to this day, and are now the main attraction of Tyre. The Roman Hippodrome was included in the List in 1984 World Heritage UNESCO number 299.

18) Roman Hippodrome

The Roman Hippodrome is part of an archaeological reserve called Al Bass Archaeological Site. Its territory is very large, you can easily spend a couple of hours walking through the ancient ruins. Entrance to the territory is paid (about 5-6 thousand pounds), but it is definitely worth it, since Al Bass is the second most beautiful and interesting Roman ruins in Lebanon, after Baalbek. The Roman ruins are located a little away from the city center; walking there will take 20-30 minutes, but if you don’t know where they are located exactly, it’s better to take a taxi for 5,000 pounds. In addition to the already mentioned hippodrome, the Arc de Triomphe, a Roman paved road and the Roman Necropolis with a large number of ancient sarcophagi are located on the territory of the reserve. The necropolis is the first thing tourists encounter upon entering.

19) Necropolis and many surviving sarcophagi

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Roman paved road and Arc de Triomphe
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The Roman Hippodrome was built in the 2nd century AD. and could accommodate up to 40 thousand people. The width of the hippodrome is 90 meters and the length is 480.
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Walking through the ancient Roman ruins gives you a strong feeling. You can imagine how at this very hippodrome gladiators once fought and Roman chariots competed for speed, and patricians in white robes sat in the stands. I love places like this.

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If you leave the area of ​​the ruins and go to the old town along the sea, you can see another Roman ruins (there is an additional entrance fee of 3,000 pounds). Roman columns go almost into the sea. A picture of a huge Roman (or Greek?) temple right on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea immediately appears in my head.

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Modern Tire (Sur) is the fourth largest country and one of largest cities in southern Lebanon just a couple of tens of kilometers from the Israeli border. Lebanon and Israel are separated by the UN2000 Blue Line demarcation line, which is not an official border. In Tyre, the presence of a huge number of UN soldiers belonging to UNIFIL (The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), which were introduced back in 1978, is noticeable. In addition, there are many military checkpoints and individual Hezbollah checkpoints on the roads. Tire is mainly inhabited by Shiites, so the Hezbollah movement is very popular here, their yellow-green flags are hung everywhere. It is in this region that armed conflicts often occur between Hezbollah and Israel, so some kind of tension is constantly felt. But at the same time, the people are quite friendly, they often want to talk, asking where they came from and whether I like me. The most common phrase I heard was “My brother is married to a Russian/Ukrainian woman.”
It was only in Tire that I first began to hear the traditional Arabic greeting Salam Aleikum, unlike, for example, Bshare, where everyone says Bonjour to each other.

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From the square where buses stop and taxi drivers stand, through narrow streets you can go to Thira Beach, where people even come from Beirut to relax, because it is considered one of the cleanest and most beautiful in the country. There are many cozy cafes and restaurants on these streets.

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46) Road along the beach

47) A lighthouse with a gorgeous view of the sunset.

After walking around Tire, already at sunset, I headed back to Beirut.

Other reports from the series traveling around Lebanon.

The ancient city of Thira is located on the right bank of the Dniester estuary, which was called Tiras. This is the territory of the modern city of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky.

Story

The city was founded in the 6th century BC. For the first time, settlers came here from Miletus. In the 6th-3rd centuries BC there were times of greatest prosperity for the territory's economy. Agriculture and viticulture, fishing, crafts and trade developed. All relations were mainly with the population of Transnistria. The city even minted its own coin.
In the 2nd century BC, Tire was ruled by local kings, whose names appear on the coins. In the middle of the 1st century BC the city was destroyed by the Getae.
In 56 BC, during the reign of Nero, the ancient city of Tire was restored by the Romans. Further, being part of the province of Moesia Inferior, it was renamed Alba Iulia, regaining its importance. Autonomous coinage in the city began during the reign of Emperor Domitian in 81 AD and continued until the end of the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus (235 AD. The coins of Tire at that time were copper, they depicted members of the imperial house of the Roman Empire. Then in In the ancient city there was a detachment of Roman legionnaires.
In the second half of the 3rd century the city suffered an invasion by the Goths. Archaeological finds have shown that the Romans remained in these lands until the end of the 4th century. Later, the city was renamed by the Byzantines and restored after the barbarian invasions. The new name of the ancient city of Tyre became Maurokastron, which translated from Greek means “Black Fortress”.
At different times, the city was governed by five archons, a king, a senate, and a people's assembly. The types of coins suggest trade in wine, wheat and fish. Some inscriptions are also related to trade.

Studying

Archaeological excavations of the area have been carried out since the beginning of the 20th century. The surviving remains and artifacts are quite scarce, since the cultural layers of the Greek and Roman periods were completely destroyed or inaccessible. In the Vedas, a medieval fortress was built on the territory, which at different times was called Maurocastro, Cetatea Alba ("White City"), Akkerman ("White Fortress "). Today it is Belgorod-Dnestrovsky.
The city is divided into two parts along its entire length. The separator is the “Sacred Road”. Here tourists will see blocks of houses of different eras, sanctuaries, Agora, theaters, the home of Ptolemy the Benefactor, graves of the archaic and classical eras, remains of buildings of the early Christian period, hot springs. The names of the god Apollo, male and youthful names are carved on the rocks.
The ancient city of Thira is one of the most interesting attractions in Greece. It was discovered in 1895 by German archaeologists, and... The local ruins date back to the 9th century BC.
Many of the ruins here date back to the Hellenistic era, but remains of Byzantine and Roman architecture have also been found.

Ancient Thira (Tera) is an ancient city located on the steep rocky cape of Mesa Vouno, at an altitude of 396 m above sea level. The city received its name in honor of the mythical ruler of the island of Tiras and was inhabited by Dorians since the 9th century BC. and existed until 726 AD.

The ruins of the ancient city were discovered in 1895 by the German archaeologist Friedrich von Hiller. Systematic excavations were carried out here until 1904 and most of the residential buildings and cemetery of ancient Thira were discovered. Excavations resumed again under the auspices of the Archaeological Society of Athens between 1961 and 1982. Then an ancient necropolis was discovered on the slopes of Sellad.

Most of the ruins of the ancient city date back to the Hellenistic era, but there are also remains of Roman and Byzantine buildings. Of the most important architectural monuments discovered during excavations, it is worth highlighting the ancient Agora, which was located almost in the center of the city. Temples and public buildings were concentrated here. In the southwestern part of the Agora is the Royal Gallery in the Doric style, built during the reign of Julius Caesar (1st century AD). The Temple of Artemis, carved right into the rock (late 4th - early 3rd century BC), is also impressive. Various inscriptions and symbols of the gods (the eagle of Zeus, the lion of Apollo and the dolphins of Poseidon) are carved on the rock. Also discovered on the territory of the ancient city were the temple of Dionysius (3rd century BC) and the sanctuary of Apollo (6th century BC). Of particular interest is the ancient theater, built during the Ptolemaic dynasty (3rd century BC). Initially, the theater had an orchestra pit, due to which, during its reconstruction in the 1st century AD, the stage was enlarged. Also notable are such ancient buildings as the Roman baths, Byzantine walls, the Church of St. Stephen (built on the ruins of the early Christian temple of St. Michael the Archangel) and the Ancient Necropolis.

Archaeological excavations of the ancient settlement were of great historical significance. In addition to beautiful architectural structures, many valuable artifacts were also found that perfectly illustrate the life of the ancient city in its various aspects. Today, the territory of Ancient Thira is open to visitors. After exploring the architectural sights, you can also admire the beautiful panoramic views that open from the top of the cliff.