in the sixteenth century, it is the oldest mosque in Mount Lebanon.[1] One of the most important historical and religious site in Deir al-Qamar is Our Lady of the Hill known as Saydet El Talle. This Maronite church goes back to the 15th century. According to the Maronite Heritage web site, "the legend says that there was a Druze Emir in Baakline looking at the hill of Deir al-Qamar. He saw a light coming out of the hill. He gathered his soldiers and ordered them to go in the morning and dig in the land. He said to them: 'If you find an Islamic symbol, build a mosque. If you find a Christian symbol, build a church." The soldiers went in the morning, dug in the land and found a rock with a cross on it and under the cross there was the Moon and Venus. That was the sign that long time ago, there was a temple dedicated to the Moon and Venus and later it became a church. Earthquakes and wars might be the reason for its disappearance." The rock discovered by the soldiers can be found above the old gate of the church. A Byzantine column can be found inside the church. The inhabitants honor a miraculous icon of our Lady of the Hill placed behind the altar. It was painted in 1867 by the Italian artist Guerra. On the feast of Our Lady of the Hill- the first Sunday of August - thousands of believers go in a big procession with the miraculous icon from the entrance of Deir al-Qamar to the Church. Another important religious site in Deir al-Qamar is the Mount of the Cross where pilgrims visit the Lamb of God Shrine (built in 2007), Father Yacoub Church (restored and consecrated as a church on June 24, 2008) and the Cross (built by Fr. Yacoub in 1932). Deir al-Qamar also had a well-established Jewish community, and a synagogue (built in 1638) which is today the site of the French Cultural Center. Wax museum The Marie Baz Wax Museum was created by Mr. Samir Emile Baz in the family palace. It tells the story of Lebanon from the 15th century to the present day through its main characters. Image gallery See also Fakhreddine Mosque Fakhreddine II Palace Church of Saidet et Tallé Deir el Qamar Synagogue Emirate of Mount Lebanon Maronite-Druze dualism References Bibliography External