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Mansourieh المنصورية
City
Birds-eye view of Mansourieh
MansouriehLocation within Lebanon
Coordinates: 33°51′29″N 35°34′7″E / 33.85806°N 35.56861°E / 33.85806; 35.56861
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	Mount Lebanon Governorate
District	Matn District
Government
• Time Zone	GMT +2 (UTC)
• - Summer (DST)	+3 (UTC)
• Area Code(s)	(+961) 4
• Postal code	22411
Area
• Total	2.83 km (1.09 sq mi)
Highest elevation	350 m (1,150 ft)
Lowest elevation	200 m (700 ft)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Dialing code	+961

Mansourieh (Arabic: المنصورية translit. al-Manṣūriyyah), also known by various spellings, including: el-Mansourieh, Mansouriyeh, Mansouriyet el-Matn, and el-Mansouria is a town in the Matn District of the Mount Lebanon Governorate, in Lebanon. This place holds significant historical importance due to the presence of well-preserved archaeological remains, specifically a Roman aqueduct.

Overview

Mansourieh, situated on a hilltop just 10 kilometres east of Beirut, serves as the gateway to Northern Matn, offering panoramic views of the capital.

Etymology

The name originates from the Arabic: منصور (translit. Manṣūr) meaning victorious, presumably dating back to a battle between the Crusaders and the Arabs in which the latter emerged victorious.

Geography

Mansourieh consists of the old village, seated on top of a ridge, bordered to the south and southwest by a river, the Beirut River and to the north by the Mar Roukouz (Arabic for Saint Roch) ravine. Upwards to the east, Mansourieh merges with Ain Saadeh and Monte Verde-Beit Mery, and slopes downhill westwards to Mkalles and Sin el-Fil. Across the river to the southwest lies Hazmieh, a town part of the Baabda district. Daychounieh covers the southeastern side, facing Baabda and Louaize.

Mansourieh is conveniently located 16 kilometres east to the capital Beirut, 16 kilometres north to Baabda, the Province Administrative Center, and 12 kilometres south to Jdeideh, the Caza Administrative Center. Mansourieh slopes upwards from an elevation of approximately 200 metres to reach its highest at around 350 meters above sea level.

Until the early 1950s, Mansourieh was mostly a rural area. Plains along the banks of the Beirut River were cultivated with citrus orchards. Olive groves were traditionally grown in more arid areas. Pine forests covered the southeastern slopes. Vineyards and fig trees, along with other Mediterranean cultivars, completed the landscape. Due to intensive urbanization since the second half of the last century, many green areas have been replaced by residential and commercial buildings. Few green areas remain, mainly along the river bank.

Mansourieh lies on the main road running from Beirut through Sin el-Fil and Mkalles, winding up the mountain to reach Baabdat, Bikfaya, and upper Matn. The 'Ras el-Matn' road connects Northern Matn to Southern Matn villages, starting from Monte Verde.

Mansourieh is a lively hub with a variety of shops, restaurants, and supermarkets. The old road showcases scenic views of Beirut alongside charming houses, while the Mansourieh highway bustles with food chains, retail shops, and high mobility traffic.

The Beirut River flows east to west from Lebanon's mountains passing through the south of Mansourieh to the Mediterranean Sea. The River is crossed by a dam locally called 'Jisr es-Sid' (Arabic for 'bridge of the dam') built during the French mandate for Syria and the Lebanon. With the dam, part of the river water is diverted to irrigate the Hadath and Kfarshima coastal planes. A bridge on top of the dam links Mansourieh to Hazmieh's Mar Takla and Mar Roukouz neighborhoods.

The municipality of Mansourieh also administers the industrialized Mkalles zone and the Daychounieh village.

Demographics

As of 2009, Mansourieh houses a population of approximately 17,000 of whom 1,445 are voters and 2,254 native residents. Residences number approximately 4,500.

Education

Mansourieh is home to the following educational institutions:

• Eastwood College EWC
• Lebanese University, Faculty of Humanities
• The Al-Kafaàt University

In addition to the institutions found within the town limits, several others are located in its suburbs:

• Université Saint Joseph , Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (Mar Roukouz)
• Sagesse High School, Mary Mother of Wisdom (Ain Saadeh)
• Lebanese University, Faculty of Humanities in Fanar (Fanar)

Medical institutions

• Beit Al Ajouz
• Bellevue Medical Center

Archaeological sites

Located in the secluded river valley between Mansourieh and Hazmieh are the remains of a Roman aqueduct.

During the Roman period, with the expanding urbanization of Beirut, the demand for running water outgrew the capacity of the existing wells and springs. The solution was to get water from one of the springs located along the Beirut River. The nearest spring was the Daychounieh source, situated 20 kilometres southeast of Beirut. The Roman architects built a water channel to convey this water across the Beirut River and transport it onwards to Beirut.

It was built over an arched, bridge-like structure known today as 'Qanater es-Sett Zubaida' (Arabic for 'the arches of Lady Zubaida). The aqueduct consisted of a series of arches, of which only a few remain on the sides of the river.

It was built in 273 AD, during the reign of Roman emperor Aurelian and was also used as a way station for the Roman military in Lebanon. The name Zubaida can be identified with the famous Queen Zenobia of Palmyra, who may have built it. It can also be associated with Princess Zubaida, wife of caliph Haroun ar-Rashid. Curiously, another Roman aqueduct on the Nahr Ibrahim (Adonis river) bears the same name.

Religion

Mansourieh natives are predominantly Greek Orthodox. Population influx in the last 20 years diversified the religious panorama to include Maronites and other Christian denominations.

Churches

• Mar Elias (Saint Elijah Church) – Greek Orthodox
• Miled Es-Saydeh (Nativity of Mary Church) – Greek Orthodox
• Mar Gergis (Saint George Church) – Maronite (Daychounieh)
• Mar Elias (Saint Elijah Church) – Greek Orthodox (Mkalles)
• Mar Elias (Saint Elijah Church) – Maronite (Mkalles)

Families

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• Hajj (Abdo, Hajj, Issa, Khattar, Khoury, Wakim, Zeidan)
• Hamouche (Abi Khalil, Abi Nassif, Abi Rached, Hamouche, Kaadi, Merhej, Sakr)
• Awwad (عوّاد)

Hajj Family

Source:

The Hajj family history traces back to the 17th century when its ancestor Hanna el-Hajj fled his hometown of Beit Mellat, a village in Akkar in the North. He finally settled near the river at the southern edge of modern-day Mansourieh. Hanna 'Hawwa' el-Hajj, was son to a family of seven brothers and a sister named Hawwa (Arabic for Eve), hence the surname. The whole family, Christian Greek Orthodox by denomination, worked at a flour mill owned by a Muslim Emir. A dispute broke out between the Hajj family and the Emir, which led to the Emir’s murder and the banishment of the Hajj family. Some of the family members escaped to Byblos and later moved to other villages. Little is known of Hanna, but his journey and dwellings in different places (Byblos, Antelias, Achrafieh, Chiyah), proves him as an expedient man willing to fight for his rights and possessions. Quarrels with local inhabitants forced him to change places, finally settling in the Zireh-Daychounieh area south of Mansourieh.

At the time, the land belonged to Druze families, mainly the Badghan clan. They hired labor to cultivate and care for their livestock. Hanna worked for those families in exchange for land. In Zireh Hanna built a small church, erect to this day although disused, known as Mar Gergis (Arabic for Saint George), where he was eventually buried. Hanna had two sons Youssef and Moussa.

In those days, the entire area was under control of the Abi Lamaa feudal Emirs. According to accounts, a group of men encountered harsh weather while traveling to Mtein village, necessitating an overnight stay at Hanna's residence. Overwhelmed by their host's generosity they related the episode to the Emir who, somewhat envious, decided to get rid of Hanna and dispatched his troops to that effect. Hanna, sensing trouble, greeted them with the same hospitality, leading to a reconciliation with the Emir.

Youssef and Moussa inherited their father’s competencies, generosity, and cunning, strengthening the relation with the Emir. The Emir summoned the two brothers and asked them to work his land instead. They accepted and moved to uptown Mansourieh, closer to the Emir whereabouts. Married, they lived in what is known to this day as the 'Harah' in the heart of the village.

Hamouche Family

Source:

Stories have it that the 16th-century family of Hamouche originated in a small village named Mizlla near Maad in Byblos. The father, a righteous man, was known to protect Christians from persecutions. His antagonists retaliated against the children after their father’s demise. As a result, the family of four children, Trad, Hamouche, Malek, and Melki scattered to different locations around Lebanon.

The family first moved to Ain el-Qabou near Baskinta, Trad then spent winters in Beirut, and Hamouche in Mansourieh where he eventually settled. Malek later moved to Baabdat, and Melki to the North.

In subsequent generations the Hajj family acquired the lands in the middle and lower parts of Mansourieh, while the Hamouche family dwelt in the upper parts of the village.

Gallery

• One-lane bridge linking Mansourieh and Hazmieh
• Remains of the Roman aqueduct
• Remains of the Roman aqueduct
• Mansourieh's Bellevue Medical Center

References and footnotes

1. "معلومات عن بلدة المنصورية - Mansouriyeh، قضاء المتن الشمالي في محافظة جبل لبنان، حسب لوائح الناخبين الرسمية الصادرة عن وزارة الداخلية اللبنانية لسنة ٢٠١٤". إعْرَفْ لبنان. Archived from the original on 2023-05-20. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
2. "قناطر زبيدة... نبع الحياة لمدينة بيروت". annahar.com. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
3. "SSNP.INFO: المنصورية في الحزب السوري القومي الاجتماعي". www.ssnp.info. Archived from the original on 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
4. "Wikimapia, Mansourieh". Archived from the original on May 21, 2009. Retrieved June 26, 2009.
5. "Mansouriyet El Matn E-Community". Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
6. "مَن في لبنان يُنْقِذ قناطر زُبَــيْـدة من الإنهيار؟". أسواق العرب (in Arabic). 2019-05-28. Archived from the original on 2023-05-20. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
7. Locally 'Zbaydeh'
8. "Destination Lebanon, Aqueduct of Zubaida". Retrieved June 24, 2009.
9. "Roman Aqueducts Reference List, Lebanon". Archived from the original on March 30, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
10. ^ "أسماء العائلات في بلدة المنصورية، قضاء المتن الشمالي، محافظة جبل لبنان في لبنان". إعْرَفْ لبنان. Archived from the original on 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
11. ^ ضيعتنا: الكورة، المتن، مرجعيون، النبطية (in Arabic). Edito Creps. 2005.
12. معجم أسماء الأسر والأشخاص ولمحات من تاريخ العائلات.
13. ^ ميشال, أبي فاضل (2002). المدن والقرى والعائلات اللبنانية معجم بيبليوغرافي (in Arabic) (1 ed.). Beirut: مؤسسة المحفوظات الوطينة. pp. 287–288.
14. أبو سعد, أحمد (2003). معجم أسماء الأسر والأشخاص ولمحات من تاريخ العائلات (in Arabic) (3rd ed.). Beirut: دار العلم للملايين. pp. 210–217. ISBN 9953903174.

External links

• Mansouriyeh - Mkalles - Daychouniyeh, Localiban
• Mansourieh on the Net

v t e Matn District, Mount Lebanon Governorate
Capital: Jdeideh
Towns and villages	Ain Aar Ain el Safssaf Ain el Sendianeh Ain Saadeh Aintoura Amaret Chalhoub Antelias Aoukar Al-Ayroun Baabdat Baskinta Bauchrieh Beit Chabab Beit el Chaar Beit el Kekko Beit Mery Bhersaf Biakout Bikfaya Bkenneya Bourj Hammoud Broummana Bsalim Bteghrine Chaouiyeh Choueir Daher al Hosein Dahr el Sawan Daychounieh Dbayeh Dekwaneh Dik El Mehdi Dhour El Choueir Dora Douar Fanar Ghabeh Ghabet Bologna Hadirah Haret al Ballaneh Haret ech Cheikh Hemlaya Hbous Jal el Dib Jdeideh Jouar Jouret el Ballout Kaakour Kfarakab Kfartay Khenchara Majdel Tarchich Majzoub Mansourieh Mar Chaaya Mar Michael Bnabil Mar Moussa Mar Roukouz Marjaba Mazraat Yachouh Mchikha Mezher Mhaydseh Mkalles Mrouj Mtaileb Mtein Mzekkeh Nabay Naccache Ouyoun Qonaytrah Qonnabat Broummana Qornet Shehwan Rabieh Roumieh Sakiyat al Mesek Sed el Bauchrieh Sin el Fil Sfaileh Wata el Mrouj Zalka Zarooun Zakrit Zouk al Khrab
Notable landmarks	Mount Sannine
Notable sites	Aqueduct of Zubaida Deir el Qalaa Saint Elias Monastery

v t e Roman archaeological sites in Lebanon
Roman Berytus (actual Beirut)	Berytus Roman Forum of Berytus Berytus Roman Baths Cisterns of Berytus Baths Berytus Cardo Decumanus Berytus Colonnaded street Byzantine mosaics Roman hippodrome of Berytus Roman Law school of Berytus
Roman Phoenicia (actual Lebanon)	Heliopolis Temple of Bacchus Temple of Jupiter (Baalbek) Temples of Mount Hermon Temples of the Beqaa Valley Aaqbe temple Afqa Ain Aata temple Ain Harcha roman temple Amioun Monastery Arca Caesarea Augusti Pagus Bakka temple Batroumine Bziza temple Canalizations of Zenobia Dakoue temple Mansourieh Roman aqueduct Hebbariye temple Iaat column Kafr Zabad temples Khirbet El-Knese roman temples Labweh Roman temple Libbaya roman temple Monastery of Qozhaya Monastery of Saint Maron Nahle roman temple Nebi Safa temple Niha Hosn Niha Qalaat Faqra Qal'at Bustra temple Castra Chbib Castra El Banat Saraain El Faouqa Schleem roman temple Colonia Aurelia Pia "Sidon" Temnin el-Foka nymphaeum Tripolis in Phoenicia Tyrus Tyre Necropolis Roman temple to Venus in Yammoune
Related	Roman Lebanon Phoenice (Roman province) Palaestina Secunda Phoenice Libanensis Stone of the Pregnant Woman Ulpianus Marcus Valerius Probus Eudokia of Heliopolis Saint Barbara of Heliopolis Coele-Syria List of Christian cathedrals in Lebanon Christianity in Lebanon Catholic Church in Lebanon Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral 2nd century in Lebanon 3rd century in Lebanon 4th century in Lebanon 5th century in Lebanon 6th century in Lebanon 551 Beirut earthquake
UNESCO World Heritage Sites Proposed Category:Roman sites in Lebanon

v t e Archaeological sites in Lebanon

Aadloun Aaiha Aammiq Aaqbe Ain Aata Ain Choaab Ain Harcha Akbiyeh Akkar plain foothills Al-Bireh Amioun Amlaq Qatih Anjar, Lebanon Antelias cave Apheca Ard Saouda Ard Tlaili Arqa Augusti Pagus Baalbek Baidar ech Chamout Batroumine Batroun Bechamoun Beirut Beit Mery Belat temple Berytus (Roman Beirut) Bustan Birke Byblos Canalizations of Zenobia Dahr El Ahmar Dakoue Deir El Aachayer Deir Al-Ahmar Deir Mar Maroun Dekwaneh Douris (Baalbek) Elaea (Lebanon) Flaoui Fadous Sud Hebbariye Hadeth south Haret ech Cheikh Hashbai Heliopolis in Phoenicia Hermel plains Iaat Jabal es Saaïdé Jbaa Jdeideh Jebel Aabeby Jeita Grotto Joub Jannine Jieh Kafr Zabad Kamid el-Loz Kamouh el Hermel Karak Nuh Kaukaba Kefraya Kafr Tebnit Kfar Qouq Kfarhata Khallet Michte Kharayeb Khirbet El-Knese Kouachra megalith field Ksar Akil Labweh Lake Qaraoun (Ain Jaouze) Libbaya Lion Tower Majdal Anjar Mansourieh Maronite mummies Mayrouba Mdoukha (Jebel Kassir) Moukhtara Mtaileb Nabi Zair Nachcharini Nahle, Lebanon Neba'a Faour Nebi Safa Hosn Niha Phoenician port of Beirut Plain of Zgharta Qaa Qal'at Bustra Qalaat Tannour Qaraoun Qasr el Banat Ras Baalbek I Ras Beirut Ras El Kelb Rashaya Roman Forum of Berytus Roman hippodrome of Berytus Roman temple of Bziza Sands of Beirut Saraain El Faouqa Shheem Sidon Sin el Fil Sarepta Stone of the Pregnant Woman Tahun ben Aissa Taire Tayibe Tell Aalaq Tell Ablah Tell Addus Tell Ahle Tell Ain Cerif Tell Ain el Meten Tell Ain Ghessali Tell Ain Nfaikh Tell Ain Saouda Tell Ain Sofar Tell Ayoub Tell Bar Elias Tell Beshara Tell Bir Dakoue Tell Deir Tell Delhamieh Tell Derzenoun Tell Dibbine Tell el-Burak Tell El Ghassil Tell El Hadeth Tell Fadous Tell Hazzine Tell Hoch Rafqa Tell Karmita Tell Khardane Tell Kirri Tell Jezireh Tell Jisr Tell Kabb Elias Tell Majdaloun Tell Masoud Tell Mekhada Tell Meouchi Tell Mureibit Tell Murtafa Tell Nahariyah Tell Neba'a Chaate Tell Neba'a Litani Tell Qasr Labwe Tell Rasm El Hadeth Tell Rayak Tell Saatiya Tell Safiyeh Tell Saoudhi Tell Serhan Tell Shaikh Hassan al Rai Tell Shamsine Tell Sultan Yakoub Tell Taalabaya Tell Wardeen Tell Zenoub Tell Zeitoun Temnin el-Foka Temple of Bacchus Temple of Eshmun Temple of Jupiter Temple of the Obelisks Toron Tripolis (region of Phoenicia) Tyre Necropolis Tyre Umm al-Amad Wadi Koura Wadi Yaroun Yammoune Yanta Ain W Zain Zahlé

• Populated places in the Matn District
• Archaeological sites in Lebanon
• Roman sites in Lebanon
• Roman aqueducts outside Rome