# Salima, Lebanon

Salima (Arabic: صَلِيمَا; also spelled Salimeh) is a municipality in the Baabda District of Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon. There is one public school in the village with 130 students as of 2006.
The name Salima originates from Syriac. Located about twenty miles from Beirut, the village sits between 2,300 and 3,000 feet above sea level in the administrative region known as either South Matn or Baabda. It can be reached via multiple routes: from Sin el-Fil through Beit Mery and Kossaybeh, from Sin el-Fil through Ras el-Matn, or from the Damascus main road via Hammana, Falugha, and Bzebdeen.
Salima is known for its historic residential buildings, primarily constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries, which are considered treasures of the national heritage. Alongside these architectural gems, the village features ruins that attract tourists, intellectuals, and nature enthusiasts. In the 19th century, Salima prospered due to silk-worm farming and the silk trade. Today, it serves as a peaceful summer retreat with modern infrastructure, public services, and communication facilities.
Visitors can explore notable landmarks such as the Seraglio built by the Abillama princes, ancient churches like Our Lady and Saint John, the Monastery of Mar Butros, the ruins of the first Lebanese emigrant Antonios Beshalani’s house, a traditional wine press, and an old silk factory.
Salima’s natural beauty is equally captivating, with lush gardens, orchards, and a three-hundred-year-old oak tree. Several springs and streams irrigate the village, including Ain es-Sawaki, Ain el-Mossaytbeh, and Ain es-Safsafi. The area is well-equipped with cafés, restaurants, schools, dispensaries, clinics, shops, and craft workshops.
One of Salima’s most remarkable landmarks is the Emirs' Seraglio, which is better preserved than its counterpart in Ras el-Matn. Built between 1620 and 1630, it sits atop a hill in the form of a citadel, featuring massive doors, high walls, and black-and-white stones weathered by time. The main entrance is adorned with marble columns and oriental carvings, flanked by two sculpted lions. Originally, the Seraglio functioned as a four-story fortress with over fifty rooms, reception halls, stairways, water basins, and even a prison. The walls, measuring three to four feet thick, were surrounded by a vast pine forest.
Unfortunately, much of the Seraglio has deteriorated over time due to fires, rain, and neglect. By 1882, the Capuchin friars took charge of its upkeep and transformed it into a school for local children. It underwent partial restoration in 1895 and was later converted into a marketplace in 1906. Today, only about twenty rooms remain usable, while the rest require substantial restoration efforts.
Salima is also renowned for its historic families. The Abillamaa family, of Arab descent, migrated from Aleppo and established their rule on Jabal el-Kneisseh, making Salima their capital. Emir Hassan, later named “Lamaa” (Shining One) after the Battle of Ain Dara in 1711, led the family to prominence. Over time, the Abillamaa family split into three branches: the Kaidabih in Salima, the Mourads in Mtein, and the Fares in Baskinta. Originally of Druze origin, they later converted to Christianity, with Emir Haidar ben Ismail serving as the Christian administrator from 1845 to 1854. The Monastery of Mar Yuhanna stands as a symbol of unity, built through joint efforts by both Christians and Druze.
Salima also holds historical significance as the birthplace of Antonios Bachaalany, the first Lebanese emigrant, who departed for America in 1851, paving the way for many others to follow.
Moreover, Salima is the birthplace of several intellects such as Georges Bachaalany the poet, philosopher, journalist, politician and Mayor.