South-east of Shtoura, just a few kilometers from
Zahleh and forty-eight from Beirut, at 900 meters
altitude, one finds an attractive corner of the
Beqaa, Tana-ïl (Tana. the dragon, chaos, disorder,
the cauldron, the cauldron of the God El), finally
Tannayel, a site granted to the Jesuit Fathers in
1860 by the Turkish government as compensation for
the massacre of five Jesuits in the year 1860. Then
it was an unhealthy marshy region, full of mosquitoes
and haunting fevers, where several Jesuit fathers
died of malaria, but the Fathers with fine determination
drained the soil, planted trees, and established
a farm with vegetable gardens, orchards, a herd
of cattle and flocks of sheep and goats. They installed
a large plant for dairy products such as cheese
of fine quality, much in demand. On the nearby slopes
of Ksara the Jesuits installed an astronomical telescope
and cultivated vines for excellent wine. Their Université
St.-Joseph developed there its Faculty of Agriculture.
Tannayel has now become a rich agricultural area
with vineyards and orchards of fruit trees of many
kinds, for peaches, apples, cherries and pears.
A lake was laid out of great beauty, adding to the
view of the valley floor a touch of cool liquid
charm reflecting the sky, the passing clouds and
the trailing branches of the trees.
Long alleys and pathways lined with trees display
perspectives that draw us towards far-off dreamland
horizons well suited to a house for recollection
and retreat, where the bluish shadows speak a language
of calm. The building is now a retirement home for
the elderly priests who still devote themselves
to intellectual studies, to care of livestock or
to gardening.
The little monastery chapel, of sober style, welcomes
the inhabitants of the surrounding villages for
the liturgical offices. On all four sides the eye
is drawn to distant prospects that know no pollution.
The environment of Tana-ïl is of the healthiest;
it is a “domain” or “Una Finca”, Spanish for a farm.
The fathers have set up their observatory for astronomy
and seismology as well, the first and the best-equipped
in the region. The cellars, still to be seen, were
already famed in the time of the Romans, to which
have been added tunnels extending far underground
where one finds shade and cool air. A visit to them
is part of the program of any respectable tourist
agency.
Every day knowledgeable tourists go to Tana-il not
only to see its sights but also to stock up with
products of quality and to delight the children
who love to watch the livestock or to disport themselves
in the shadow of the great trees.
