Mansourieh, Lebanon

Mansourieh ( 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. Mansourieh, situated on a hilltop just 10 kilometres east of Beirut, serves as the gateway to Northern Matn, offering panoramic views of the capital. The name originates from the منصور (translit. Manṣūr) meaning victorious, presumably dating back to a battle between the Crusaders and the Arabs in which the latter emerged victorious. 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 Due to intensive urbanization since the second half of the last century, many green areas have been replaced by residential and commercial buildings.