elevation ~310 m · area ~7.29 km²
Barja is in the Chouf District of Mount Lebanon, about 33 km from Beirut, about a 25-minute drive. Its closest Chouf neighbours are Baasir (~1.2 km), Maaniyeh (~2.2 km) and Jiyeh (~2.3 km).
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Barja is a town in Iqlim el-Kharroub — the coastal side of the Chouf district, Mount Lebanon — some 30 km south of Beirut at about 310 m. Freiha traced its name to the Greek Tabarja, 'capital and seat of a ruler', while local tradition holds it was 'barr al-laja', the land of refuge; discovered antiquities, among them a Baalbek-style statue of Jupiter found near Kafar Jzin, support the first reading.
Barja is a town in Iqlim el-Kharroub, Chouf District, some 30 km south of Beirut — its name traced to the Greek Tabarja, a reading backed by antiquities. It rises about 310 m above sea level over some 7.29 km², and its 18-member municipal council is among the largest in the Union of Municipalities of Iqlim El-Kharroub El-Chamali.
Freiha considered the name Barja to derive from the Greek Tabarja, meaning 'capital, town and seat of a ruler'. Tradition holds it was 'barr al-laja' ('land of refuge') which was altered to Barja. Discovered antiquities, including a Baalbek-style statue of Jupiter found near Kafar Jzin, support the first interpretation.
Freiha traced the name Barja to the Greek Tabarja, meaning 'capital, town and seat of a ruler' — a reading supported by discovered antiquities, including a Baalbek-style statue of Jupiter found near Kafar Jzin. Today Barja's 18-member municipal council is among the largest in the Union of Municipalities of Iqlim El-Kharroub El-Chamali.
أبو ريش، أبو علفة، البابا، بدر، البربير، برغوت، بروش، البزري، بشاشة، بقيلي، بكري، ترّو، توفيق، جعيد، جنون، الجوزو، حاج، حدادة، الحكيم، حلق، حمادة، حميّة، حوحو، الخطيب، دحبور، دقدوقي، دمج، رمضان، زعرت، زين، سراج، سعد، سعيفان، السيّد، سيف الدين، شبّو، شمعة، الطحش، عرفات، عزام، عمّار، غزيّل، غصن، غوش، قزي، قعقور، قمّوع، كجك، لمع، معاد، المعوش، ياسين، يقظان، البستاني، جحا، غطّاس، الهاشم
One of several health providers in the town, alongside a social health centre and two charitable dispensaries.
~33 km from Beirut · ~25 min drive
The town of Barja is in the Chouf district of Mount Lebanon, Lebanon, at around 310 m elevation.
Barja is about 33 km from Beirut, roughly a 25-minute drive.
Freiha considered the name Barja to derive from the Greek Tabarja, meaning 'capital, town and seat of a ruler'. Tradition holds it was 'barr al-laja' ('land of refuge') which was altered to Barja. Discovered antiquities, including a Baalbek-style statue of Jupiter found near Kafar Jzin, support the first interpretation.
Families associated with Barja include: أبو ريش, أبو علفة, البابا, بدر, البربير, برغوت, بروش, البزري, بشاشة, بقيلي, بكري, ترّو, توفيق, جعيد, جنون, الجوزو, حاج, حدادة, الحكيم, حلق, حمادة, حميّة, حوحو, الخطيب, دحبور, دقدوقي, دمج, رمضان, زعرت, زين, سراج, سعد, سعيفان, السيّد, سيف الدين, شبّو, شمعة, الطحش, عرفات, عزام, عمّار, غزيّل, غصن, غوش, قزي, قعقور, قمّوع, كجك, لمع, معاد, المعوش, ياسين, يقظان, البستاني, جحا, غطّاس, الهاشم.
Notable people connected to Barja include Sheikh Ahmad Al-Bazri, Sheikh Mohammad Ali Al-Jozo, Alaa al-Din Charq, Dr. Ali Toufic Saad, Dr. Salem Maarouf Al-Maouch.
Barja is one of the seventeen municipalities that form the Union of Municipalities of Iqlim El-Kharroub El-Chamali — the northern half of the Iqlim El-Kharroub belt of Chouf District. The union takes Mazboud as its seat and runs from Jiyeh and Rmaileh on the Mediterranean up to roughly 795 metres at Daraya and Aanout on its eastern, mountainous edge. Within the union, Barja is named for the archaeological ruins counted among the area's heritage assets.
Source: UN-Habitat Lebanon (2023), A Road Map Towards a Socioeconomic Development Plan for the Union of Municipalities of Iqlim El-Kharroub El-Chamali, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.
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