Perched high in the Chouf Mountain, the village of Maasser is known for its traditional, well-preserved rural character. The village has been recognized as 0% pollution by the UNESCO. Distance from Beirut: 57 km. Altitude between 1200-1950m above sea level. Come to Maasser el Chouf and discover its secular Cedar Natural Reserve.
Visit the 1940 meter mountain above sea level and breathe the beauty of the Cedars forest. From the summit of the mountains, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the countryside: eastward, the Beqa’a Valley and Qaraoun Lake, and westward the Mediterranean sea.
Maasser el Chouf is a village in the province of Mount Lebanon. Home to the famous Cedars of Lebanon, Maasser el Chouf is presumed to have been continuously inhabited since the 5th century B.C.E.
Archaeological evidence, consisting of mainly of Roman burial sites and pottery, has allowed scholars to date the founding of this picturesque Lebanese village back to the year 450 B.C.E. Perhaps the most prominent of these archaeological remains is a distinctly Roman stone fortress, located in the “Hosn” area of the village.
Under Ottoman rule, Maasser el Chouf was famous for its vineyards, used in wine and Arak distilleries, and mulberry orchards, which were essential to silk worm farming.
Today, Maasser’s ancient traditions remain alive through its residents. Whether by savoring the fine artisanal wines of St. Michael’s Winery or the myriad mouth-watering, locally grown and prepared foods at the annual “Jabalna Festival,” a visit to Maasser el Chouf is a wonderful journey through Lebanese heritage.