Niha, Chouf

Niha نيحا
UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	+3

Niha (

of Lebanon. The town is 44 miles from Beirut and it has about 3,750 hectares; there are 6,500 inhabitants of Druze and Christian. However, there are only two public schools in the city. It is famous because of its olive groves and its grapes, apples, plums and almonds production. Its tourist attractions are The church of Saint Joseph, El Qa'ah Spring, The prophet Job tomb and Niha's Castle. Like all Lebanon's corners, Niha owns a cultural or historical richness that dwells in the heritage of the country. Lebanese singer Wadih El Safi was born in Niha. The population speaks Lebanese Arabic.

Etymology

The name Niha is used by four Lebanese cities:

. The word neeha is Syriac and denotes to the place the character of calm, peaceful.^{[citation needed]}

History

It is believed^[

]

Moreover, Niha is one of the most known destinations in the area, with many caves, both natural and man-made. One among them, a cave-fortress that was cut into a cliff during the

Fakhreddine El Ma'ani II hid there when hiding from the Ottomans in 1635. However, the accurate historic version links these events to prince's father Korkomaz during 1584.^{[citation needed}

]

In 1776, Ali al-Zahir, a nephew of

Jezzin.^[3]

Tourist attractions

• Druze Prophet
  Job
  shrine مقام النبي أيوب
• Niha's Castle
  قلعة نيحا
• Saint George church كنيسة مار جرجس
• Saint Joseph church كنيسة مار يوسف
• Mysterious sarcophagus نواويس
• El Qa'ah Spring عين القاعة

See also

• Druze in Lebanon
• Christianity in Lebanon

References

1. ^ Niha (Chouf), localiban
2. ^ Sharon, 2004, p. 57
3. ^ Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, 2nd appendix, p. 189

Bibliography

• Debenham, Frank (1972). "El Atlas de nuestro tiempo", The Reader's Digest Association Limited, London, 241
• Robinson, E.; Smith, E. (1841). Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea: A Journal of Travels in the year 1838. Vol. 3. Boston: Crocker & Brewster.
• ISBN 90-04-13197-3
  .

External links

• Page of Niha in Localiban (in English, French and Arabic)
• About Niha (in English)
• Some cities in the Chouf including Niha (in English)