Ain Dara, Lebanon

For the Syrian village, see Ain Dara, Syria.

Ain Dara
Village
Ain Dara Location in Lebanon
Coordinates:
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	Mount Lebanon Governorate
District	Aley District
Elevation	4,300 ft (1,300 m)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	+3 (UTC)
Dialing code	+961

Ain Dara is a village about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Beirut, in the governorate of Mount Lebanon, in the Aley District. Ain Dara Municipality has an area of 2,586 hectares (9.98 sq mi), with a population of approximately 8000 persons (1700 emigrants). It had 3,874 registered voters in 2010. Originally a Druze village, Ain Dara today is a mixed Druze and Christian village, with a Christian majority, as per the recent registered voters.

Ain Dara is located on a southward facing slope overlooking the pine forests of the safa valley at an elevation of 1,300 metres (4,300 ft). It is close to Mount Barouk, which is famous for its cedar forest. Its altitude gives it cool summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall.

Some well-known places surrounding Ain Dara are Hammana and Mdeirej to the north, Aghmeed and Bmahray to the south, Dahr-el-Baydar to the east and Saoufar to the west. Ain Dara is known for the famous Battle of Ain Dara that took place in 1711 between the two parties of the time; the Qaysis and the Yemenis, resulting in a total Qaysi victory under the leadership of Emir Haidar Chehab; a victory that decisively established the Chehabi rule for the next 150 years.

Places of worship

• Druze Khalwat: Khalwat Zeitouni, Atallah and Yehya Families

Ain Dara also contains five churches :

• Saint George (gerges) Maronite Church (The oldest church in the village 1890 AD)
• Saint George (gawergios) Orthodox Church, Father Ghassan Haddad.
• Saint Elie (elias) Orthodox Church
• Aindara Evangelical Baptist Church, Pastor Nabih Toufic Haddad.
• Saint Mary (al saydeh) Maronite Church

Nature and cultural attractions

Natural and Cultural Attractions are:

• El-Okeili Historical Square
• Ancient Churches: Mar Gerges - Maronite Church, Mar Gerges Orthodox Church
• Druze hermitage site: Makam Shaykh Badereddin El Enderi (The first Shaykh Akl of the Druze)
• Qoubat Al-Sitt
• Ancient village of Tayroush
• Natural water sources: Ain Barakeh, Ain Al Tarcha, Ain Majed, Ain Al-Kakbi, Ain Al-Tamam, Hafr Al Tannour, Bahsasa, Ain Al Bustan, Ain Al Hammam, Ain Al Wosta
• Al Dayaa Grotto
• Pine Forest

Families

Families of Ain Dara include: Atallah, Bader, Bou Faisal, Faisal, Haddad, Haydamous, Wehbeh, Yammine, Yehia, Zeitouni, Zakharia

Additional information

Ain Dara has 4 schools; 2 public schools and 2 private schools. 213 students are enrolled in the public schools, and 277 in the private schools. There are no hospitals in Ain Dara. There are 0 companies with more than 5 employees in Ain Dara.(Source: Localiban)