Temple of Jupiter, Baalbek, Lebanon.

Getty Images/Flickr RF

Temple of Jupiter


This temple was built on a monumental scale and is one of the largest Roman temples known. Dedicated to Jupiter Heliopolitanus, it was built from the 1st century BC onwards on an immense substructure more than 90m long. Though largely ruinous, it impresses by its sheer size.

At the entrance, a staircase leads to a propylaea (entrance) that gives on to an unusual hexagonal courtyard, a 2nd-century-AD addition. Beyond here is the massive central courtyard, with two high altars flanked by ritual columns in grey and pink granite. Another enormous staircase led from here to the temple itself, consisting of a cella in which the statue of the god was housed and a surrounding portico of 10 columns along the facade and 19 columns along the side. These columns are the largest known from antiquity – 22.9m high with a girth of 2.2m. Today only six of these remain standing with the architrave still in position.

It was probably built over an earlier Phoenician temple and, as was common in antiquity, the 'Sun City' Jupiter preserved some solar and cosmic attributes of Ba'al, the deity he was superseding.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Temple of Bacchus

0.06 MILES

Baalbek's Temple of Bacchus is often described as the most beautifully decorated temple in the Roman world, and it's certainly one of the best preserved…

2. Baalbek Ruins

0.06 MILES

Dominating the centre of modern Baalbek, this wonderful Roman temple complex is one of the Middle East's major archaeological highlights. The monumental…

3. Temple of Venus

0.12 MILES

Opposite the entrance to the main ruins is the exquisite Temple of Venus, which preserves a section of a circular building with fluted columns. During the…

4. Gibran Museum

19.86 MILES

According to his wishes, the body of poet and artist Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), author of the much-loved The Prophet (1923), was interred in the chapel of…

5. Qadisha Grotto

19.91 MILES

Extending around 500m into the mountain, this small grotto contains some impressive limestone formations. Though not as spectacular as Jeita Grotto near…

6. Deir Mar Semaan

20.24 MILES

In the southern section of the valley, accessed via a path just over a kilometre west (ie further from Bcharré) from the main road down to the valley…

7. Deir Mar Elisha

20.36 MILES

Near where the winding Qadisha road hits the valley floor is one of the most important monasteries, Deir Mar Elisha, which can be accessed by car and now…

8. Chapel of Mar Marina

23.2 MILES

Just beyond Qannoubin is the Chapel of Mar Marina, a female saint who, disguised as a man, lived as a monk at Qannoubin for many years before being…