Anjar

Anjar

The archaeological site of Anjar is located in the Beqaa Valley east of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. In 1984, UNESCO designated the Anjar Archaeological Site as a cultural heritage site and included it on the World Heritage List. The earliest structure in the city of Anjar was a palace, surrounded by colonnaded arcades, with some sections having been restored.

The city of Anjar is situated at the crossroads of ancient trade routes connecting Damascus and southern regions. This strategically important location made it the only inland commercial center in history and represents the most significant surviving large-scale Umayyad site. Built in 714 AD, the ancient city is square-shaped, enclosed by city walls measuring 385×350 m². Each wall has a central gate, totaling four gates in all. Inside, a network of crossroads links the four quadrants of the city and divides it into four distinct areas, resembling the layout of a Roman city. The World Heritage Committee describes it as: “Founded in the early 8th century by Caliph Al-Walid I, Anjar is a city with a meticulously planned layout that evokes the image of an ancient palace. Today, Anjar stands as the sole witness to Umayyad urban planning and design.”