It is believed that the history of mankind has been well studied. However, amazing findings, which serve as proof of the presence in the distant past of highly developed civilizations, put modern scientists at a standstill.
A mysterious place that attracts travelers
The Baalbek temple complex is one of the most unusual archaeological sites. It consists of several gigantic structures, which, according to esotericists, have powerful energy. It is no coincidence that the object, protected by UNESCO, is a mystical place, where not only archaeologists, but also hunters of sensations rush.
A bit of history
Where is the Baalbek temple complex located? It is located in Baalbek (former Heliopolis - the city of the Sun) in Lebanon. The small village has become famous throughout the world for its grand megalithic ensemble, which has become a model of architectural gigantomania.
Even in the Phoenician period, the first ritual structures appeared here. The fact is that the inhabitants of this corner worshiped Baal, the pagan god of the Sun. The conqueror Alexander of Macedon included him in the Macedonian kingdom - a state on the Balkan Peninsula. And after the death of the legendary commander, the city became part of Egypt, then it was captured by the soldiers of the Roman Empire, who began the construction of magnificent temples. At the place where the inhabitants worshiped a pagan deity, a monumental sanctuary grew up glorifying the power of the Roman gods.
In the 7th century, Arabs entered the city, turning a religious building into a powerful citadel. In the 19th century, when bloody wars ended, and the city did not need defense, the locals began to destroy the temple, dismantling it for building materials. And soon one of the most sacred places on our earth, devoid of past greatness, was abandoned.
The unique Baalbek temple complex was saved by German archaeologists who arrived at the excavation site in 1898. It was they who returned to the world a priceless treasure that caused heated debate in the scientific community.
The three parts of the sanctuary
An amazing architectural landmark that embodies the history of the entire ancient world, consisted of 3 courtyards:
- Large (Altar), covering an area of more than 1 hectare. It was one of the largest buildings in the Baalbek temple complex.
- Hexagon (Hexagonal), once surrounded by a colonnade of 84 columns.
- A semicircular, from which there is nothing left.
Now the courtyards are dotted with fragments of columns and stone slabs.
Three main temples
On the territory of the Baalbek temple complex in Lebanon there were several shrines dedicated to Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus.
According to scientists, the structure erected in honor of the god of heaven appeared during the reign of Emperor Nero. The ancient builders performed the giant sanctuary in the form of an antique structure supported by tall columns. The monoliths, which served as the basis of the religious structure, are now amazing with their size and weight. Unfortunately, the temple did not stand the test of time, and also seriously suffered during strong earthquakes. Descendants can see only the base of the sanctuary and six columns with a diameter of more than two meters. A wide staircase leads to the building, at each step of which 100 people fit.
It is a religious building dedicated to the terrible Jupiter that affects most. Looking at its ruins, one can imagine the scale of a majestic temple of stunning beauty and enormous size. Many travelers have even said that the famous Parthenon in Athens seems like a miniature toy compared to it.
But the temple of Bacchus (Bacchus) is perfectly preserved, and visitors can even admire the fancy interior decoration, as well as the carved altar, located in the central part of the room. And in the closed room there is a ritual room in which once stood a sculpture of a god personifying winemaking.
Along the entire perimeter, the sanctuary, which is part of the Baalbek temple complex, is surrounded by a gallery of 19-meter columns. Despite the fact that most of the architectural elements are irretrievably lost, tourists can imagine a true image of a mysterious ancient structure.
The Temple of Venus is an unusual structure, characterized by its shape resembling a horseshoe. Located on the spot where the sanctuary was erected in honor of the goddess Astarte, who was revered by the Phoenicians, it appeared during the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus. The building, which seemed small due to the wide arrangement of columns, was later rebuilt into a church dedicated to the patroness of the city - St. Barbara.
Amazing Finds
As the archaeologists who conducted the excavation found out, in addition to the famous buildings, there are also hidden corners that are hidden from human eyes. Local catacombs begin on the southeast side of the complex and end under the sanctuary of Jupiter. Most likely, underground labyrinths, the size of which is larger than the tunnels in the subway, appeared long before the construction of this work of architectural art.
Perhaps they were used as a treasury. But the presence of small windows in the dungeons makes it possible to assume that they were once inhabited.
The platform that caused heated debate among scientists
However, the main value of the Baalbek temple complex, whose photos make one admire the skill of ancient architects, is its monolithic platform. It is here that the famous trilithon is located - three gigantic slabs of 800 tons each, located in the masonry of the base. Modern scientists cannot even imagine how builders were able to transport giant megaliths if there were no ways to transport blocks of this size at that time.
Unanswered questions
The platform is built of blocks of colossal size (the Baalbek temple complex never ceases to amaze), and their weight is many times greater than the weight of the plates that were used to build the famous pyramids of Egypt. Surprisingly, the colossi are so carefully adjusted to each other that it is impossible to stick a needle between them.
Even for today's technology, such a fit is unrealistic. In addition, there are no machines on which you can polish giant surfaces with an area of hundreds of square meters. And on the plates you can see traces of huge incisors. To move the monoliths, the efforts of 40 thousand people are required.
It is not clear why to use such colosses in the construction of the sanctuary, if it is easier to work with plates of much smaller sizes, which are easier and faster to install. The methods used by the ancient builders, and now are unsolved.
Is Trilithon the oldest building in a mystical corner?
Surprising is the fact that the platform of the Baalbek temple complex, about the age of which scientists argue, is not completed. The famous trilithon rises above other masonry, not being one with the foundation of the temple of Jupiter. Scientists have suggested that its plates appeared long before the construction of the religious building began. And the Roman warriors erected a gigantic temple on a site already prepared by the mysterious masters. And the locals recall the ancient legend, according to which the sacred blocks lie here forever.
Cosmodrome for aliens
Some scientists have suggested that the construction of the complex is the work of the aliens, since not one of the civilizations known today is able to process and install gigantic monoliths in the same way as in Baalbek. The scientific community has suggested that it is no coincidence that the foundation of the complex is so solid. The platform, capable of withstanding tremendous loads, most likely was the place for landing spacecraft.
Lost knowledge
Other scholars have stated that a very powerful technique was used in the construction of the Baalbek temple complex, the description of which is presented in the article. Later, mankind simply lost the invaluable knowledge that was inherited from past civilizations that possessed a high technological level but did not have a letter.
There is a similarity of the complex with the Egyptian pyramids, but researchers say that this does not mean that the same complex erected the temple complex. Most likely, the disappeared civilizations possessed some knowledge and had tools in their arsenal to move huge slabs and prepare them for construction.
It is curious that contemporaries decided to recreate technology capable of raising stone monoliths. But all attempts ended tragically: powerful blocks fell off the mounts, claiming human lives.
City of gods and giants
Fans of searching for meaning in biblical tales recalled lines that supposedly shed light on the mysterious origin of the complex. According to them, Baalbek, located an hour and a half drive from the capital of the country, was born thanks to the good friendship of King Nimrod with the giants. It was they who brought gigantic boulders here at his request. However, God, unhappy that the titans helped people, destroyed them.
In addition, we can recall the legend passed down from generation to generation. According to her, the sun god travels across the sky in a chariot and rests exactly where the Baalbek temple complex is located, whose photo is made to freeze with delight.
Puzzles alone
The archaeologists who conducted the excavations claim that no traces of the presence of mythical creatures in the territory of the ancient city were found. But local guides conducting excursions, surely draw the attention of visitors to the steps that lead to the sanctuary of Jupiter. The fact is that they are quite massive and do not correspond to the step length of an ordinary person, but as if designed for someone who had a higher height.
And the sizes of the columns, which have no analogues in architecture, also speak in favor of the version of some giants who built a giant complex for themselves.
If you look closely at the stone slabs of the platform, which serves as the base of the temple of Jupiter, you will notice small indentations made in their thickness. They are not on all lumps. For example, on megaliths of triliton they are not. And again, a debate erupted in the academic community. According to one version, the holes were a kind of nests for grips of metal, allowing you to move the plate. And on the other hand, the ashes of the victims, who were killed as a result of mystical rituals conducted in the dungeon, were stored in the holes.
South Stone
Another amazing fact - 900 meters from the Baalbek temple complex, the history of which has not yet been studied, archaeologists have discovered a gigantic monolith weighing more than one ton and 20 meters long. The slab, called "Stone of the South", is the largest processed block in the world. And soon other giant megaliths were found, which were distinguished by unusual smoothness. The surface of the plates, according to scientists, is polished by human hands, and this fact raises many questions that remain unanswered. Researchers believe that a powerful block is a stone blank of ancient builders, and its presence only speaks of construction in progress.
In the meantime, artifacts that look fantastic are a bait for amazed tourists, who will definitely take photos against their background.
A complex that awe of contemporaries
The grand ensemble over the millennia evoked a sense of sacred awe among the various peoples living in this territory. On an unfinished platform, they built their sanctuaries, engaged in the restoration and reconstruction of the Baalbek temple complex, which was already a finished structure. Later, people used masonry and fragments of columns to build powerful strongholds and mosques.
Tourists who visited the mysterious complex admit that they feel the presence of different peoples living several thousand years ago here. Descendants are concerned about the question of who, in fact, and when he began the construction of an architectural miracle. Did a person or an alien possess ultra-precise technologies for processing huge blocks? Of course, a clue is worth looking in the distant past, but no reliable information about that time exists. There are only ancient folk legends left, and still you should not trust them.
The grand Baalbek temple complex, whose photos convey a sense of unreality and monumentality of giant blocks, inspires a sense of admiration for the amazing skill of its talented creators.