Baalbeck

Baalbeck

 or Baalbek Arabic Ba'labakk

Large archaeological complex, eastern Lebanon. In ancient times it was a great city built on the lower western slope of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Its identification with the worship of Baal, a Semitic sun-god, gave rise to its Greek name, Heliopolis. It was made a Roman colony by the emperor Augustus Caesar. In AD 637 it came under Arab control and was administered by Muslim rulers from Syria until the 20th century. After World War I (1914–18) the French mandatory authorities made it part of Lebanon. The area in and around the city is noted for its extensive ruins, including temples of Jupiter, Bacchus, and Venus, town walls, Roman mosaics, a mosque, and Arab fortifications. The complex was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. The modern town (pop. 2002 est.: 29,200) is a regional urban centre.