Sitting majestically on a hill surrounded by terraced gardens and orchards, Beiteddine Palace is one of the highlights of the Chouf Mountains. Beiteddine Place in Beiteddine, a small town and the administrative capital of the Chouf District in the Mount Lebanon Governorate in Lebanon. The town is located 45 kilometers southeast of Beirut and near the town of Deir el-Qamar from which it is separated by a steep valley. Its name means ‘House of Religion’, acknowledging the older Druze hermitage that originally occupied the site. The palace hosts the annual Beiteddine Festival and the Beiteddine Palace Museum. This restored 19th-century gem features sumptuous interiors, views over the surrounding hills and an important archaeological collection. Although conceived by Italian architects, the palace incorporates many traditional forms of Arab design and is a model of elegance. In summer, it’s the venue of a well-known arts festival. Beiteddine Palace was built over a period of 30 years in the early 19th century by Emir Bashir Chehab II, Ottoman-appointed governor of the region. The strategically located palace was then taken by the Ottoman Ruling that occupied Lebanon and then by the French mandate after WWI. After 1930 it was declared as a historic monument. Then, In 1943 Lebanon’s first president after independence declared a historical monument, the palace became the summer his presidential residence upon our independence. The palace was extensively damaged during the Israeli invasion; it’s estimated that up to 90% of the original contents were lost during this time. Today, its sumptuous reception rooms of marble and carved wood host the Palace Museum and the annual Beiteddine Festival that has presented through the years unique performances of Lebanese and internationally acclaimed artists.