Places To Visit:

:: Churches | Public Garden | Old Souk | TheRoman Amphitheatre | The weaving of theNAWL ::


Perched on a hill of the littoral of Kesrouan, between Beirut and Byblos, overlooking the sea, Zouk Mikaël is a small Lebanese city of 308 hectares. It considered also as a village located on the Lebanese coast, 14 km far away from Beirut. It is undoubtedly a tourist attraction because of its location between the cave of Jeita (Jeita Grotto) and the ruins of the town of Jbeil. Divided into two by the national motorway Beirut /Tripoli, it is bordered in the west by the Mediterranean Sea and the east by the mountains of Kesrouan. Zouk Mikaël would have been founded at the beginning of the XIV century. It acquired notoriety for its production of high quality silk. The “Souk” (market) of the city was considered one of the most important markets of the area, and Zouk Mikaël was famous for the weaving of silk; the economic growth of the city was at its apogee.

The village

Historians recall the creation of Zouk Mikaël at the beginning of the 14th century. Traditional houses from stone and red bricks that have preserved their ancientness surround until today the Old Souk. Churches and historical monasteries were built since 1709 and scatter out of the seven hills of Zouk Mikaël, overhanging by their location the Mediterranean.

The Zouk today

The Municipality renovated in 1983 the Old Souk by adding “Al Hirafi”, a complex dedicated to the working craftsmen and their creations, a Roman theatre and a public garden. In the pedestrians’ lanes of the Souk, many cultural events are organized such as Christmas, St Valentine, the music festival and the summer festival of the artists and artisans. Zouk Mikaël deserved its title of “Flowered City” thanks to the care given to its lanes and roundabouts generously planted and maintained. Moreover, Zouk Mikaël, as a main attraction, offers to the tourists all the services through its clubs, cinemas, hotels, banks, businesses and balneal centers.

Recommended Place:

For More Information, please visit: www.zoukmikael.gov.lb