Beit ed-Dine

Beit ed-Dine (in Arabic بيت الدين, translates to "House of Religion", originally Btaddine, in Arabic بتدين) is a small Lebanese town in the Chouf District, approx. 50 km southeast of Beirut and near the town of Deir el-Qamar from which it is separated by a steep valley. The town is famous for its magnificent Beiteddine Palace which hosts the Beiteddine Festival every summer.

The origin of the name,like the majority of the towns and villages names in Lebanon is Aramean, "Bet Din", has been "arabized" in Beit ed-Din ("bet" in Aramean is "Beit" in Arabic, for house). Down the valley between Beit ed-Din and Deir el-Qamar there is a place still called Bwardin, which translates from Aramean "the uncultivated lands" (Bwar or Bouar) of the goddess Diana. In Hebrew, Beth Din is "The House of Judgement".

Local emir Bashir Shihab II who was later appointed to rule Mount Lebanon, started building the palace in 1788 at the site of the Druze hermitage (hence the town's name, translating as "House of Faith"), indicating that the town was initially Druze before Bashir Chehab II lived in it. It took about 30 years to complete. The best craftsmen from Damascus and Aleppo as well as Italian architects were invited and given much freedom, so its style is a cross between traditional Arab and Italian baroque. In order to keep his palace a one-of-a-kind, Bashir cut off the architects' hands after the palace was built.

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PLAYLIST TIME:

What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For

by: Betty Hutton

What do ya wanna make those eyes at me for
If they don't mean what they say
They make me glad, they make me sad
They make me want a lot of things that I never had
You're fooling around with me now
Well you lead me on and then you run away
Well that's all right, I'll get you alone some night
And baby you'll find, you're messing with dynamite
So what do ya wanna make those eyes at me for
If they don't mean what they say
What do ya wanna make those eyes at me for
If they don't mean what they say
They make me glad, they make me sad
They make me want a lot of things that I never had
You're fooling around with me now
Well you lead me on and then you run away
Well that's all right, I'll get you alone some night
And baby you'll find, you're messing with dynamite
So what do ya wanna make those eyes at me for
If they don't mean what they say




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