became increasingly educated (partially thanks to the proximity of Beirut and its institutions). Lebanon has been plagued by sectarian violence since the 19th century, when Maronite and Druze communities were fighting in the mountains. More recently, the Civil War that erupted in 1975 was the scene of severe sectarian tensions. Although Roumieh is known for its people quarrelling over politics and even fighting from time to time, it is a tight-knit community that has survived the most divisive horrors of the Lebanese Civil War and the ongoing political turmoil. The village's diversity of opinions underlines its development that outdoes by far other villages in the area. The villagers may strongly disagree with each other on matters of politics, and given how seriously they take this, they may even go as far as being hostile to each other. However, Roumieh remains a community that its forefathers built and will remain so thanks to some outstanding members who have been known to put family and village before anything else. Lebanese villages have always been collectivistic societies. Lebanon's villagers have always put the family in the first place, followed by the individual. The family, the church and the community at large dictate group patterns in Lebanese villages. Roumieh's population has changed due to the relocation of many people to the center of Lebanon, Maten and its areas. But Roumieh maintained its look and vision, unlike surrounding towns, due to its closed-knit community and people of the town. Public institutions "Dahr el-Bachek" hospital (originally established to treat patients with Tuberculosis) was founded in 1909, primarily intended as a place where inhabitants of Beirut could come to enjoy fresh air and rest. In 1931, the first pieces of hospital equipment were added. Faculty of engineering of the Lebanese University (Second Branch) Roumieh prison, Lebanon's largest prison located at a lower elevation at the western entrance of the town. Severely overcrowded, (holding up to 5,500 prisoners) it violates basic UN standards for safety and hygiene. It is often the site of inmate uprisings, the most recent one on 15 February 2013 when a group of Islamist prisoners rioted over the decision to transfer one of their members to another cell. Der el Rahmeh (retirement home for senior citizens) Barracks of the Lebanese Army's Special Forces Education Brummana High School Brummana High School (BHS), a British Quaker School founded in 1873 Lycée Charlemagne, a French international school,