Baalbek
is perhaps the most spectacular archeological site in
Lebanon and it is among the largest and best preserved set
of Roman ruins in the world. No trip to Lebanon is
complete without a visit to this remarkable place.
However, the history of Baalbek is not confined to the
Roman conquests, for its history dates back to the first
millenium B.C.E. One of the difficulties in appreciating
such a site is that is difficult to get a sense of its
scope from individual photos online. In light of this, we
have created (and, 18 years later, re-created) a
virtual tour, consisting of interlocking 360 degree
panoramas with embedded audio, photographs and videos
within each scene to provide a more accurate view of this
amazing site.
Baalbek During Roman Rule:
Before commencing the
actual tour, let us get a sense of what the site looked
like during the Roman Era. While its history stretches
back much further, most of the ruins visible today harken
from that time period. The animated photo to the
right shows an artist's recreation of the temple complex
under Roman rule, and it is helpful to keep this "mental
map" in mind as your tour the ruins. The animated
gif to the left cycles through a reconstruction of the
Roman era and then a map of the current ruins.
There is also a version of
this tour designed specifically for VR headsets such as
Google Cardboard, and it works with both iPhone and
Android devices. It may be accessed by scanning on the
QR code to the left. If you are viewing this on a mobile
phone, you may access the VR tour by following this link.
