Batroun البترون Botrys | |
|---|---|
City | |
 The port at the old city of Batroun with the St. Stephens Church | |
  Batroun Location of Batroun within Lebanon | |
| Coordinates:34°15′0″N35°39′0″E / 34.25000°N 35.65000°E /34.25000; 35.65000 | |
| Country |  Lebanon |
| Governorate | North Governorate |
| District | Batroun District |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Marcelino Al Hark |
| Elevation | 34 m (112 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 45,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Dialing code | +961 (6)Landline |
| Patron Saint | Saint Stephen[1] |
Batroun (Arabic:ٱلْبَتْرُونal-Batrūn;, ancientBotrys (Ancient Greek:Βότρυς,romanized: Bótrys),[2][3] is a coastal city innorthern Lebanon and one of theoldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is the capital city ofBatroun District.
Batroun appears inWestern Aramaic,[4] and is attested in asbṯrwn (Arabic:بثرون) in premodern Arabic texts, with the expectedlenition of t for an Aramaic term.[5] Elie Mardini suggests the shift of the th to t inAramaic terms in the Levant is due to the merger of certain fricatives inLevantine Arabic.[5]
Batroun is likely the "Batruna" mentioned in theAmarna letters (EA 078, EA 079, EA 081, EA 087, EA 088, EA 090, EA 093, EA 095, EA 124, EA 129), dating to the 14th century B.C.[2] Batroun was mentioned by the ancient geographersStrabo,[6]Pliny,[7]Ptolemy,Stephanus of Byzantium,[8] andHierocles.Theophanes the Confessor called the city "Bostrys."[9]
ThePhoenicians founded Batroun on the southern side of the promontory called inclassical antiquityTheoprosopon and during theByzantine Empire, Cape Lithoprosopon. Batroun is said to have been founded byIthobaal I (Ethbaal), king ofTyre (whose daughterJezabel marriedAhab).[10][3]
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The city was under Roman rule toPhoenice Province, and later after the region was Christianized became asuffragan of thePatriarch of Antioch.
In 551, Batroun was destroyed byan earthquake, which also caused mudslides and made the CapeLithoprosopon crack.[12] Historians believe that Batroun's largenatural harbor was formed during the earthquake.[13]
ThreeGreek Orthodox bishops are known to have come from Batroun: Porphyrius in 451,Elias about 512 and Stephen in 553 (Lequien, II, 827). According to a GreekNotitia episcopatuum, theGreek Orthodox See has existed in Batroun since the tenth century when the city was then calledPetrounion. After the Muslim conquests of the region, the name was Arabicized to Batroun.
Batroun was controlled by theCrusaders in 1104,[14] to be known as theLordship of Botrun as part of theCounty of Tripoli, until it was conquered by theMamluk Sultanate in 1289.[15] One of Batroun's archaeological sites isMseilha Fort, which is constructed on an isolated massive rock with steep sides protruding in the middle of a plain surrounded by mountains.[16]
UnderOttoman rule, Batroun was the centre of akaza in themutessariflik of Lebanon and the seat of a Maronite diocese, suffragan to theMaronite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch. Since 1999, it has been the seat of theMaroniteeparchy.[17]
Historically, the city of Batroun was settled at the interface between the sea and the national road that connectedBeirut toTripoli.
Lately, the radical shift of the historical functions of the local economic tissue into a leisure service-based economy (nightclubs, bars, restaurants, stores, etc.) has become the unique and only lever of the development of the city.[18] The economic metamorphosis has resulted in the resettlement of housing towards emerging city suburbs (nearby hills: New Batroun, Batroun Hills, Basbina, etc.) consequently to the overvaluation of the real estate market in the city centre. It clearly reveals here the constitution of a business city-centre (dedicated to leisure and business) balanced by the constitution of residential suburbs, where acceleratedurban sprawl has led to the destruction of natural lands (pinewood and orange groves) and to the fatal rise in land prices.[19]
Batroun is a major tourist destination inNorth Lebanon. The town boasts historicMaronite andGreek Orthodox churches. The town is also a major beach resort with a vibrant nightlife that includes pubs and nightclubs.Citrus groves surround Batroun, and the town has been famous (from the early 20th century) for its fresh lemonade sold at the cafés and restaurants on its main street. Biking along the Batroun coastline is also a major activity mainly in late summer days.
In 2009, the Batroun International Festival was born. It began hosting leading local and international artists. The festival takes place usually in July and/or August of each year in the old harbor area.
In 2014,Christians made up 89.69% andMuslims made up 9.80% of registered voters in Batroun. 64.16% of the voters wereMaronite Catholics, 16.44% wereGreek Orthodox and 7.97% wereSunni Muslims.[20]
The people of Batroun are mainlyMaronite,Melkite, andGreek Orthodox Christians. Batroun is atitular see in theLatin Church of the Catholic Church.[21][22][23]
Recent years have seen municipal and parliamentary elections become a growing factor and interest in Batroun. This is mainly in the context of local and national struggle for power. The current serving Mayor of Batroun is Marcelino El Harek.
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