The name Salima is of Syriac origin. About twenty
miles from the capital Beirut, the village of Salima
lies between 2,300 and 3,000 feet above sea level
in the administrative region called indifferently
South Matn or Baabda. There are several ways of reaching
the place, passing from Sin el-Fil throught Beit Mery
and Kossaybeh or from Sin el-Fil through Ras el-Matn.
From the Damascus main road one may reach Salima through
Hammana, Falugha and Bzebdeen.
Its venerable residential buildings are of great beauty,
having been constructed mostly in the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries. They are riches of the national
heritage, together with the remains which draw sight-seers,
intellectuals and lovers of nature, old remains and
all works of beauty.
Salima knew considerable prosperity during the nineteenth
century thanks to silk-worm farming and the sale of
silk thread. Now it is a peaceful summer resort attracting
holiday-makers. It is a village with all public services,
communications and modern infrastructure.
One may visit the Seraglio built by the Abillama princes,
old churches such as those of Our Lady and of Saint
John, the monastery of Mar Butros, the ruins of the
house of the first Lebanese emigrant Antonios Beshalani,
a wine press, and a silk factory.
As for those sites shaded by trees, there are gardens
and orchards, and an oak tree over three hundred years
old. There are several springs and streams irrigating
the village such as Ain es-Sawaki, Ain el-Mossaytbeh,
and Ain es-Safsafi. Cafes, restaurants, schools, dispensaries,
clinics, commercial premises and craft workshops are
by no means lacking.
However, what most draws attention is no doubt the
Emirs’ Seraglio, which is in a better state of conservation
than the one at Ras el-Matn. It was built between
1620 and1630 on a hill in the form of a citadel with
massive doors and high walls whose black-and-white
stones have been veneered by time. The main door is
ornamented by marble columns with typical oriental
decoration. Facing it are two sculptured lions standing
face to face. The Seraglio was a fortress of four
stories and arched basement. The whole formed four
compartments, one for each emir, with more than fifty
rooms, spacious reception halls, stairways, water
basins, and even a prison!
The walls vary between three and four feet thick.
The whole is surrounded by an extensive wood of pine
trees. The present condition is deplorable, with only
about twenty rooms still usable. The part which is
in a state of ruin would need a heavy budget for its
restoration, having suffered from fires, rain, nature,
and the inevitable passing of time. In 1882 the Capuchin
friars were charged with looking after the Seraglio
and they made it into a school for the education and
instruction of the local children. In 1895 the building
was partly restored, and in 1906 it was transformed
into a market-place.
And what can be said of the wonderful residences and
churches? The Abillamaa, of Arab roots, came from
Aleppo and settled on the hill called Jabal el-Kneisseh,
making Salima their capital. Emir Hassan was named
“Lamaa” (Shing One) after the battle of Ain Dara,
where his sword gleamed and shone like a lightning
flash. In 1711 the family divided into three branches,
th Kaidabih of Salima, the Mourads ssettled in Mtein,
and the Fares in Baskinta. Of Druze origin, the Abillamaa
converted to Christianity. Emir Haidar ben Ismail
was administrator for the Christians between 1845
and 1854. The monastery of Mar Yuhanna was built by
both Christians and Druze together.
As said above, Salima was the birthplace of the first
Lebanese emigrant who left for America in 1851, to
be followed by many others.
Joseph Matar
Translation from the French : Kenneth J. Mortimer
- Salima 1: >> View
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