There Was a Volcano in Lebanon…Where Did It Go?

We recently discovered that Lebanon once had a volcano, and it just disappeared. Well, it more likely became inactive and eroded over time, but it FEELS like it disappeard.

When I was little, I used to visit the village of Qobayaat and noticed houses built from black stone. Curious, I asked my relatives about it, and they explained that this stone is called ‘basalt’ or ‘volcanic rock’. It turns out there’s a lot of it in that village!

My mother once told me that we used to sit on the hills in Qobayaat, where the soil was red. It wasn’t until many years later that I learned why. Thousands of years ago, there was volcanic activity between the villages of Qobayaat, Aandqet, and Menjez.

Apparently, the volcano, located between these three villages in North Lebanon, was active around 4,300 years ago. The region’s rich, fertile soil still bears traces of this volcanic activity. The natural landscapes in the northern region are absolutely stunning!

Additionally, houses and ancient landmarks, like Chateau du Liban in Kousba and the Church of the Forty Martyrs in Qobayaat, are built from black volcanic rocks.

Many archaeological landmarks are constructed with this striking black stone. This includes an ancient Roman temple called Beit Jaalouk in the village of Menjez.

These volcanic rocks are the only indicators that a volcano once existed in Lebanon. To this day, no one knows exactly where it was or how it disappeared.

Regardless, the existence of this volcano greatly contributed to the region’s heritage. You can only find this type of rock in the north. Maybe we should plan a trip to North Lebanon soon…

If you enjoyed this read, make sure to check out the #Historical Snapshot section on our website for more interesting facts about Lebanon and its people.