The place of tears
A station of the Adonian rituals On the side of the Adonis Valley, facing Mount Jabal Moussa, stands the historical site of Machnaqa, located within the transition zone of the JMBR and offering panoramic views of the reserve.
Machnaqa is part of the ancient pilgrimage road leading to the temple of Venus/Astarte at Afqa, before proceeding towards the Bekaa Valley. Machnaqa was a place of worship first for the Phoenicians, then for the Romans, where all sorts of rituals were performed. In the late antique period, a church was built nearby using stones from the temple.
This site contains a Roman temple, several tombs of the Roman period and a number of funerary steles. According to the renowned French historian Ernest Renan, the bas-reliefs represent the famous scene of Adonis being killed and Astarte crying by his side.
The APJM has worked in partnership with the DGA, which is the “General Directorate of Antiquities” in Machnaqa, to erect a fence and conduct a detailed topographical survey of the site with 3D mapping.
Quick overview
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Opening days
Open daily
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Opening times
All day
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How to reach
By car/bus:
From Beirut Airport to Machnaqa, the total distance is approximately 54 km
Additional Info
Jabal Moussa Biosphere reserve entrance fee:
Adults $3
kids $1.5
Please gear up with hiking shoes, hiking stick (optional), backpack, energy bars, 1L of water/person, sunscreen.
Make sure to inform us in advance if you have a health condition
Suggested periods
- Autumn
- Spring
Visiting Rules
Basic rules:
No hunting
No picking flowers and plants
No smoking or lighting fires
No pets
COVID-19 rules:
Only one person shall approach the guard to pay the entrance fee
Provide the exact amount of money, to avoid any change
Wearing a mask at the entrance is mandatory
Always keep at a safe distance of 2 metres from the other visitors
