Jezzine is a town in Lebanon, located from Sidon and south of Beirut. It is the capital of Jezzine District. Surrounded by mountain peaks, pine forests, and at an average altitude of 950 m, it is the main summer resort and tourist destination of South Lebanon. The town is also well-known in Lebanon for its production of handmade, traditional cutlery and daggers with decorative inlays, artisanal wine, and the shrine of Our Lady of the Waterfall.
Demography
The inhabitants of Jezzine are mainly Maronite and MelkiteChristians. The town is located on the slopes of Tumat Niha and is surrounded with pine forests, vineyards and orchards. From the top of the huge rocky promontory known as al Shir, the visitor enjoys a panoramic view of the surrounding localities scattered in the midst of a fertile plain and protected by mountains.
Culture
;Festivals The Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 15 of each year with grand religious and cultural festivities. The Jezzine Summer Festival also attracts music acts and hundreds of people each summer. ;Libraries The Jezzine Public Library was built in 1960 and underwent refurbishment and reorganization in 2004. ;Theatres Empire Jezzine, the local movie theatre, plays Hollywood and Lebanese films.
Economy
;Agriculture The production of pine nuts is the main agriculture product of Bkassine, the neighbor of Jezzine, as this village has the largest pine field in the Middle East. ;Handcrafts Jezzine is known for its handcrafted knives and other cutlery, made of inlaid mosaics and bone. The cutlery has been presented as gifts to dignitaries all over the world as a memento of Lebanon. The first family who produced this cutlery is the el Haddad family and started the company in 1770. The latest was Samir Haddad, who died 28 January 2015 at the age of 84. He was praised for his skills and art by many people. ;Tourism Jezzine is a summer resort in South Lebanon. Its landscape features pine-forested valleys and mountain summits, ponds, and waterfalls. The town is known as the “City of Falls” because of its waterfalls, the Jezzine Falls.
Attractions
At the entrance of Jezzine, there is "Saydet Jezzine" or "Saydet el-Maabour" shrine ; inside it lies the statue of the Virgin. In 1898, a passageway connecting Jezzine with the coastal cities and Sidon was built. In 1955, the Virgin Statue was erected during religions celebrations that occur on August 15, the day of the Virgin's Assumption. On this occasion, the celebrators go around the town till they reach the Virgin's Statue amidst prayers and lit candles. The town overlooks a cliff of 40 meters high. At its sides, there are café houses and restaurants overlooking the landscape of Wadi Jezzine, which in turn overlooks green fields. In the center of the town there is the Municipal Palace, which was built according to the Ottoman style in 1898 during the reign of Sultan Abd el Hamid and the "Qaim Maqam" of the district, Saleem Bey Aammoun, at the expense of the municipality. In Jezzine, there are churches that were built more than 200 years ago. On the outskirts of the town is St. Maroun Church, which dates back to the 18th century. It was partially destroyed in 1759, and then repaired several times. It is distinguished for its vastness and elevated vaults. Visitors can reach the church via an old flight of stairs from the Old Section of the town. The churches in Jezzine are:
Saydet el-Yanbou' Church : It includes a valuable icon of the Virgin and her Baby, Jesus. It is placed on a vaulted marble altar. There are huge columns that support the walls lined with argillaceous and leaden stones.
St. Anthony Church : it has a central chapel beside which there are two other chapels. It includes 14 lit niches that represent the stages of the Cross Pathway, as well as engravings in the walls which surround the altar.
St. Joseph Church : its architecture and vaults have no central columns, and is divided into two parts: The first is higher than the other part.
South of Jezzine lays Sirhal Palace, a huge building whose architecture is nontraditional. It was built by Dr. Farid Sirhal. The Palace includes spacious rooms topped with perforated glass colored vaults, as well as shapes of engraved water-springs. It is visible from the Ain Majdalein road, but is not open for visitors. Karam Wines, Southern Lebanon's only winery, owns land in the area where they primarily plant Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
