About Castle of Fort and Her Cross
Nestled above the village of Bechtoudar in Lebanon’s North Governorate (Batroun District), the
site known as Kalaat el Hisn literally “Castle of the Fortress”.
According to mapping resources, it is a delta location for 3 villages, Assia, Bechtoudar, and
Bchaaleh. It is listed as a peak with elevation of approximately 1,229 metres near Bechtoudar.
The exact historical record of the structure is scarce: there are no widely-published studies
detailing its builders or date of construction. What is known is that the location offers
panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and villages and serves as a landmark for hikers
and local heritage enthusiasts. Because of its somewhat remote position and the fact that it is
more of a ruin/peak than a fully preserved castle, it often goes unnoticed in mainstream tourist
guides.
The large cross on "Mount Al-Hajar" in Bechtoudar was installed with the help of
the Lebanese Army in July 2018. Lebanese outlets (MTV Lebanon, An-Nahar, Lebanon24, etc.)
reported the story.
The Fortress Castle history among Assia and Beshtoudar
In the area of Beshtoudar, there is a mountain called "Mount Al-Hajar" (the mountain
of stone). In it, there is a castle called the "Fortress Castle" (Qal'at Al-Hisn). This
castle
is
located on the highest peak in the region. From there, the whole region can be observed.
Inside the castle, there are 3 reservoirs. There are also very deep rooms. According to
history,
the queen who owned the castle in Assia also owned this castle in Beshtoudar. She used to
come
down from the castle here (Al-Hisn) and go to the castle in Assia through a tunnel that
connected the two castles. This is according to what the elders of the region say.
