Snapshots in Time: Jbeil (Byblos) Lebanon

Introducing Snapshots in Time, a new photostory series that captures images from travels in the past. Our first photostory takes us to Jbeil (Byblos) along the Mediterranean Sea in Lebanon.

Byblos is located approximately 40 kilometres north of the capital Beirut, a scenic drive that hugs the Mediterranean coast, passing by the Dog River tunnel (Nahr el Kalb), Jounieh, Tabarja, Safra and then onto Jbeil. The beautiful city is one of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world since Neolithic times, a UNESCO World Heritage Site well worth visiting. According to excavations, Jbeil dates back to the 6th millennium BC and was called Gubla then Gebal by the original inhabitants. It was the Greeks who named it Byblos, the Greek word for Papyrus as it had a thriving papyrus trade.

The old port is a truly magnificent sight, lined with yachts and fishing boats gently bobbing on the calm water among ancient ruins. There are many attractions and archaeological sites to see such as Byblos Castle which was built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, St John the Baptist Church dating back to the Crusaders, Roman columns, the Sultan Abdel Majid Mosque, Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Marc, and an old cobblestone souk lined with antique and souvenir shops.

Start with at the Byblos port and take a boat trip, enjoy a leisurely lunch at the fish restaurants by the water and walk it off at the old souk for some souvenir shopping.

You can follow a map or simply lose yourself in the beauty of Jbeil.

Snapshots in Time: Jbeil (Byblos)

Taken in June 2000

Snapshots in Time is an exercise in nostalgia. The aim of this series is to present images from different parts of the globe, ancient historical sites that have stood the test of time as well as some destinations that no longer exist. The photographs are either scanned from 35mm prints, slides, black and white film, or taken as screen captures from video tapes.