Bqarqacha also known as Bkerkasha ( Arabic بقرقاشا), is a village located in the Bsharri District in the North Governorate of Lebanon. Bkerkasha overlooks the Holy Valley of Qadisha , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at its highest western point under mount Lebanon .
31-593: Bkerkasha is composed of three geographically separated settlements; The main village in the Becharri district, inhabited during the summer season, most of the residents during winter inhabit Barsa, Dahr Al Ein and Jadaydet Bkerkasha in Bkeftein Koura District that borders Tripoli in North Lebanon . According to local oral tradition, the name Bqarqacha stems from aramaic "B'qar Qosho" meaning very cold. Though
62-611: A French delegation to Lebanon to inaugurate a program aimed at promoting cultural and athletic exchange between the two famous ski locations. Andrea Bocelli performed at the opening ceremony of The Cedars International Festival-Bsharri (CIF) before an audience of 8,000 people. Before the festival, Bocelli visited the Cedars of God, where he was received by the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea . Bsharri natives are also known for their strong Christian faith. Throughout
93-524: A basic first aid facility, and some kind of ski patrol service to ensure that injured skiers are rescued. The ski patrol is usually responsible for rule enforcement, marking hazards , closing individual runs or areas as conditions require, and removing (dismissing) dangerous participants from the area. The typical ski area base includes a ticket office, ski lodge , ski school , equipment rental/repair shop, restaurant/bar, shopping, shuttle bus stop and parking. Some ski resorts offer lodging options on
124-455: A continental Mediterranean climate ( Csb/Dsb , according to the Köppen climate classification ), with dry and mild summers and cold, snowy winters. Temperatures in the summer can go above 30 °C (86 °F) a few times per year. On the other hand, temperatures can fall occasionally to −15 °C (5 °F) and on Bsharri mountain to −30 °C (−22 °F) during the winter. Heavy snowfall
155-635: A derivation of the Old Norse skíð via Norwegian , the choice of French is likely attributed to the early popularity of such activities in the French Alps , with which it was then linked. As rising temperatures, receding glaciers and declining snowfall affect the environment, resort development and operations also have an environmental impact on land, lakes, streams, and wildlife. Amenities and infrastructure such as concrete buildings, ski lifts, access roads, parking lots, and railways have contributed to
186-446: Is a term for entertainment, nightlife or social events that occur specifically at ski resorts. These add to the enjoyment of resort-goers and provide something to do besides skiing and snowboarding . The culture originated in the Alps, where it is most popular and where skiers often stop at bars on their last run of the day while still wearing all their ski gear. Though the word "ski" is
217-451: Is also used, particularly in Europe, for a skiing facility which is not located in or near a town or village. A ski resort which is also open for summer activities is often referred to as a mountain resort . Ski areas have marked paths for skiing known as runs, trails or pistes . Ski areas typically have one or more chairlifts for moving skiers rapidly to the top of hills, and to interconnect
248-471: Is more common for ski areas to exist well away from towns, so ski resorts usually are destination resorts , often purpose-built and self-contained, where skiing is the main activity. Ski resorts are located on both Northern and Southern Hemispheres on all continents except Antarctica . They typically are located on mountains , as they require a large slope. They also need to receive sufficient snow (at least in combination with artificial snowmaking , unless
279-434: Is observed every year and accumulations of over 2 m (80 in) and on Bsharri mountain of 7 m (280 in) are not unheard of. Ski resort A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing , snowboarding , and other winter sports . In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area –a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In North America , it
310-420: Is possible, as well as Nordic skiing and skidoo rides. In summer 2005, The Cedars resort installed three new chairlifts to replace the old T-bars and extend the ski runs. Fifteen million US Dollars have lately been invested to upgrade the facilities and raise the standard of the resort's accommodation, equipment, safety and services. An ongoing project envisages a gondola that would carry skiers and visitors from
341-626: The 1930s , the Bqarkasha Arida family dynasty, established the largest textile manufacturing company in the Middle East , employed hundreds of Bkarkasha residents that brought wealth and skills to the local residents and the region. The Arida Manufacturing plant represented 12 percent of the Syria – Lebanon imports during the 1930s and 1940s. During World War II, the Arida company was a contributing supporter of
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#1733086071718372-582: The Cedars of God forest and several ski resorts. Bsharri is home to a Lebanese Red Cross First Aid Center, also to “The Maronite Scouts” that started their activities in early 2000. On July 13, 2018, International Colombian singer of Lebanese heritage, Shakira , performed in Bsharri during the Cedars International Festival in the presence of 13,000 people. The visit was a part of her 2018 world tour,
403-524: The Cedars of God , a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only remaining place where the Cedrus libani (Lebanese cedar) tree grows natively. The region is the birthplace of famed poet, painter and sculptor Khalil Gibran ; a museum in town honours his life and work. As Bsharri is mountainous and experiences freezing winters, it is home to Lebanon's oldest ski resort , the Cedars Ski Resort , as well as
434-474: The El Dorado World Tour . On March 22, 2019, The municipalities of Bsharri, Lebanon, and Val d’Isère , France inked an agreement to promote cultural exchange between the two towns. The cultural exchange program aims to build bridges for French and Lebanese youth that want to experience the unique cultural relationship and similarities the two countries possess. The mayor of Val d’Isère, Marc Bauer, led
465-758: The Lebanese civil war , many young men joined the Lebanese Phalanges . In 1986 Samir Geagea , a Bsharri native, became head of the Lebanese Forces (LF) militia (now a political party). Many LF militants were drawn from the town during the civil war. Today, the town is located in a highly touristic zone including many attractions such as the Khalil Gibran Museum, the Kadisha Valley , the Kadisha Grotto,
496-411: The urbanization of mountainous zones. In recent years, the use of snow cannons by many ski resorts has increased to compensate for reduced levels of snowfall. In order to sustain good quality snow coverage, snowmaking requires large amounts of water and sometimes the creation of artificial lakes . Snow cannons also introduce a noise element. The required infrastructure can affect erosion through
527-580: The 7th Century AD. The Kadisha Valley , below the town, became the spiritual center of the Maronite Church. The town was known as Buissera by the Crusades . Residents of Bsharri are known for their distinct accent when they speak Lebanese Arabic. Unlike other parts of Lebanon, Aramaic was spoken in Bsharri as a liturgical language well into the 19th century. As a result, Bsharri natives developed an unmistakably strong accent that lasts to this day. During
558-534: The British Empires efforts in the war against Germany, manufacturing and supplying uniforms to the army as well as funding the development and construction of the British Air force Spitfire. George Arida for his efforts was appointed Honorary Consul British Empire. At the end of WW II, many Bkerkasha residents migrated to Sydney Australia where skilled textile workers and textile mechanics were in demand. Sydney has
589-665: The Roman Catholic Maronite Church history, where an important Maronite school of Saint George flourished. The village is located at an elevation from 1450 meters above sea level to its 3050 meters highest point in the Mount Lebanon mountain range, which borders the Qarnet El Sawda and the Cedars of Lebanon. Bkerkasha overlooks the Holy Valley of Qadisha , a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The valley of Qanoubin to Qadisha
620-631: The area also features the largest cathedral in the Levant region, the Saint Saba Cathedral, constructed by Anthony II Peter Arida . As the city is home to nearly 40 churches and houses-of-worship, it is sometimes referred to as "the city of churches". The name Bsharri (بشرّي), Beth Shareer, can be found in the Aramaic language . Bsharri means House of Truth in Aramaic . Maronite Christians fleeing persecution sought refuge in its mountainous terrain in
651-564: The country's original ski lift , which was built in 1953. The resort is about 130 km (81 mi) from Beirut , approximately two hours' driving time. Qurnat as Sawdā Mountain is the highest peak in the Levant , at 3,088 meters above sea level. Bsharri is at the head of the Holy Kadisha Valley , a natural area which contains some of the oldest Christian monastic communities in the Middle East . A center of Maronite Christianity ,
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#1733086071718682-626: The daughter of Father Basil of Bsharri, constructed St George Church in Bkerkasha in 1211 (The Annals, 104). A Bible in Smar Jbail Saint Nehra Church records the donation of two pieces of land by Slaiman Ibn Touma and his brother from Hardin in 1245 for the building of saint Nehra church. The church was built in 1525. Bkerkasha suffered several recorded disasters in the Middle Ages The economy of this town has shifted dramatically in
713-401: The largest concentration of Bkerkasha settlement outside Lebanon. Becharri Bsharri ( Arabic : بشرّي Bšarrī ; also romanized Becharre , Bcharre , Bsharre , Bcharre Al Arz ) is a Lebanese town located in the district of the same name , North Governorate , situated at altitudes between 1,100 m (3,600 ft) and 3,088 m (10,131 ft). Bsharri is the location of
744-486: The name does appear in historical records as Bir Auwshi بير اوشاي also referred to as Biir Rawshi and during the Roman Severan dynasty in the 3rd century, it was referred to as Bir’Kasha. The name have shifted from Canaanite / Phoenician to Aramaic and then Arabic which corrupted the original Canaanite / Phoenician name. No further reference survived until the 12th century where the name reappears as Bkerkasha بقرقاشا in
775-412: The parking level at 2,095 metres (6,873 ft) to the highest accessible summit of 2,870 metres (9,420 ft). There is no indication yet of when and whether this will be finalized. To comply with international regulations, a refuge with a capacity of 400 persons also needs be built at the top of the gondola, and equipped with telescopes allowing vistas as far away as the island of Cyprus. Bsharri has
806-416: The past 50 years, from an agricultural rural community to a more skilled and educated workforce. In 2005 agriculture represented 22% of household income and represented a second stream income to most families. with an important olive oil production in the coastal area and fruits including apples and pears in the mountain area. The village is also known for its highly skilled stone masons and builders. During
837-606: The resort uses dry ski slopes ). High concentrations of ski resorts are located in the Alps , Scandinavia , western and eastern North America , and Japan . There are also ski resorts in the Andes , scattered across central Asia , and in Australia and New Zealand . Extreme locations of non-indoor (at least one ski lift outside) ski resorts include: The ski industry has identified advancing generations of ski resorts: The term ski station
868-413: The slopes themselves, with ski-in and ski-out access allowing guests to ski right up to the door. Ski resorts often have other activities, such as snowmobiling , sledding , horse-drawn sleds , dog-sledding , ice skating , indoor or outdoor swimming and hot tubbing , game rooms, and local forms of entertainment, such as clubs, cinema, theaters and cabarets . Après-ski (French for after skiing )
899-499: The various trails. Rope tows can also be used on short slopes (usually beginner hills or bunny slopes). Larger ski areas may use gondola lifts or aerial tramways for transportation across longer distances within the ski area. Resorts post their trail map illustrating the location of lifts, trails, services and the ski area boundary, and during the ski season issue a daily snow conditions report listing open trails, operating lifts and weather status. Ski areas usually have at least
930-543: The year, many religious festivities and commemorations take place in the town, attracting thousands from neighbouring villages. The Cedars resort is located in the North of Lebanon. Skiers came to the resort as early as 1920, and have been returning there ever since. The first lift was installed by the government in 1953. The Cedars resort has a slightly longer season than the others, sometimes beginning early November and often lasting until late April. Pisted and off-piste skiing
961-400: Was the ancient route from Tripoli to Baalbeck and Hammah. Bkerkasha’s ancient history is evident from the extensive early and middle bronze age ruins on a mount known as Jirn Al Yehudi ( Jewish burial) which was a major pagan cult center. According to Samir J. Issa the ruins remain undiscovered or academically researched due to their remote location. Patriarch Douaihy recorded that Thacla