The temple complex of Baalbek had been attracting tourists long before Kaiser Wilhelm’s visit in 1898. In providing information for those travelling from Damascus to Beruit, Cook’s Tourists’ Handbook for Palestine and Syria, published by Thomas Cook & Son in 1876, suggests overnighting in Baalbek. “It is usual for the camp to be pitched in the court of the Great Temple, where it presents a curiously-picturesque effect.” As wonderful as that experience must have been, I hasten to add that camping amongst the ruins now is not allowed. We now call that ‘great temple’ the Temple of Jupiter, as it was dedicated to Jupiter Heliopolitanus. It is the largest temple ever constructed by the Romans. Although very little of it remains standing today it is still well known for its six surviving colossal columns. These columns are the largest single pieces of carved stone ever quarried by humans anywhere in the world, past and present. They stand on a large podium, which is itself around 15 m high, and are 25 m high with a diameter of 2.5 m. When the temple was complete there were 54 of these columns.
Baalbek Reborn: Take a Virtual Tour of Baalbek Ruins | Archaeology Travel
