Anthony's Monastery Tourism

Anthony's Monastery, also known as Deir Mar Antonios Qozhaya, is an ancient monastery located amidst the scenic Qadisha Valley in northern Lebanon. Named after Saint Anthony the Great, it is part of the Qozhaya monastery complex and is renowned for its historical significance and stunning architecture, which dates back to the early Christian era. The surrounding area is rich in religious heritage, with numerous hermitages, chapels, and monasteries dotting the landscape. The Cedars of God, a grove of ancient cedars, is nearby, representing some of the last vestiges of the extensive forests that once thrived in Lebanon. These millennia-old trees are a symbol of the country’s cultural and natural legacy. The monastery itself has been a place of solitary retreat and religious worship for centuries, and it contains fascinating features such as a library with ancient manuscripts, a printing press, and hermitages carved into the rock. It has served as a place of solace for hermits and monks who sought spiritual enlightenment away from the chaos of the world.