Baabdat () is a town located in the

Matn District Matn (, '), sometimes spelled Metn (or preceded by the article El, as in El Matn), is a district (''qadaa'') in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of Lebanon, east of the Lebanon's capital Beirut. The district capital is Jdeideh (followed to Jdeideh, ...

Mount Lebanon Mount Lebanon (, ; , ; ) is a mountain range in Lebanon. It is about long and averages above in elevation, with its peak at . The range provides a typical alpine climate year-round. Mount Lebanon is well-known for its snow-covered mountains, ...

, 22 km from

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

at an altitude ranging between 600 and 1100 meters above sea level. The lush pine forests that surround the town make it a very popular summer resort for those escaping the busy coastal cities of Lebanon, especially the capital, Beirut. The town's proximity to Brummana, one of Mount Lebanon's most active summer destinations, makes Baabdat a major tourist destination in the summer.

Demography

The inhabitants of Baabdat are members either of the Maronite Catholic Church, or the

Melkite Greek Catholic Church The Melkite Greek Catholic Church (, ''Kanīsat ar-Rūm al-Malakiyyīn al-Kāṯūlīk''; ; ), also known as the Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catho ...

, or the

Latin Catholic Church The Latin Church () is the largest autonomous () particular church within the Catholic Church, whose members constitute the vast majority of the 1.3 billion Catholics. The Latin Church is one of 24 Catholic particular churches and liturgical ...

Etymology

The name "Baabdat" is

derivative In mathematics, the derivative is a fundamental tool that quantifies the sensitivity to change of a function's output with respect to its input. The derivative of a function of a single variable at a chosen input value, when it exists, is t ...

of the

Aramaic Aramaic (; ) is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written a ...

words, , meaning "the home of adoration". The Aramaic name refers to an ancient temple that was built by the Phoenicians to worship the ancient

Canaan CanaanThe current scholarly edition of the Septuagint, Greek Old Testament spells the word without any accents, cf. Septuaginta : id est Vetus Testamentum graece iuxta LXX interprets. 2. ed. / recogn. et emendavit Robert Hanhart. Stuttgart : D ...

ite, Greek and later

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

gods A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

History

When Lebanon was part of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

, Baabdat was home to wood hewers who supplied Beirut's shipyards with timbers.

Landmarks and Attractions

Baabdat is known for its natural scenery, including forests of pine and oak trees that surround the village and offer opportunities for hiking and outdoor activities. Key landmarks include: Churches and Monasteries: The village is home to historic churches, includin
Saint Anthony’s Church
and Ou
Lady of Deliverance
which are important centers of worship and heritage for the local community. Cultural Sites: Baabdat hosts occasional cultural and community events, particularly during local festivals that celebrate religious or seasonal events. Pine Forests and Trails: Baabdat’s pine-covered mountains attract nature lovers and are ideal for picnics, hikes, and family outings.

Notable people from Baabdat

* Émile Lahoud- Lebanon's former president * Nassib Lahoud- politician * Carmen Labaki- film director *

Nadine Labaki Nadine Labaki (; born February 18, 1974) is a Lebanese people, Lebanese and Canadians, Canadian Actor, actress, Film director, director, and Activism, activist. Labaki first came into the spotlight as an actress in the early 2000s. Her filmmaking ...

- director and actress *

Salma Hayek Salma Valgarma Hayek Pinault ( , ; ; born September 2, 1966) is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela ''Teresa (1989 TV series), Teresa'' (1989–1991) as well a ...

- director and actress (her father has ancestry from Baabdat) * Jamil Lahoud- A former army officer and minister * Leonard Melki- A beatified Catholic priest

Notables who live in Baabdat

Although a native of

, Maxime Chaya (the first from his country to climb Everest and ski all-the-way to both poles) moved to Baabdat where he now lives year-long with his children Edgard and Kelly.

Religious Structures

Like most mountain villages of

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

, Baabdat is home to numerous, historic churches, monasteries and convents. * Saint Mamas Church, built in the 16th century *

Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...

Church, built in the mid-18th century *Our Lady of Deliverance Church, built in 1851 *

Saint Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second- ...

Greek Catholic Church *

Saint Anthony of Padua Anthony of Padua, OFM, (; ; ) or Anthony of Lisbon (; ; ; born Fernando Martins de Bulhões; 15 August 1195 – 13 June 1231) was a Portuguese Catholic priest and member of the Order of Friars Minor. Anthony was born and raised by a wealth ...

Convent, completed in 1900

Climate

References

External links

Baabdat
Localiban
Toufic LabakiSaint Anthony of Padua Parish
{{Matn District Populated places in Matn District Coloniae (Roman) Maronite Christian communities in Lebanon Melkite Christian communities in Lebanon