Deir Qannoubin


From where the Qadisha road meets the valley floor, it's a 5km (1½-2 hour) walk to the serene still-working convent of Deir Qannoubin, probably the oldest religious community in the valley (some sources date the building to as early as the 4th century). The permanent residence of the Maronite Patriarchs between 1440 and 1790, its church features a fresco of the Coronation of the Virgin being witnessed by a group of Patriarchs.

Walking here from Bcharré and Deir Mar Elisha is a pleasure, but there are also jeep taxis that will bring you here from where the road meets the valley floor for LL5000 per person. They leave you a 10-minute stroll short of the monastery. You can just about get here in a normal car if it's been dry.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Chapel of Mar Marina

0.07 MILES

Just beyond Qannoubin is the Chapel of Mar Marina, a female saint who, disguised as a man, lived as a monk at Qannoubin for many years before being…

2. Saydet Hawqa

0.5 MILES

In the Qadisha valley below the village of Hawqa, this monastery (Our Lady of Hawqa) can be reached by a 4.5km path beyond Deir Qannoubin. It's a…

3. Deir Mar Antonios Qozhaya

1.78 MILES

The working monastery of Deir Mar Antonios Qozhaya is in the northern section of the Qadisha valley between the villages of Hawqa and Ehden and accessible…

4. Deir Mar Semaan

3.4 MILES

In the southern section of the valley, accessed via a path just over a kilometre west (ie further from Bcharré) from the main road down to the valley…

5. Deir Mar Elisha

3.57 MILES

Near where the winding Qadisha road hits the valley floor is one of the most important monasteries, Deir Mar Elisha, which can be accessed by car and now…

6. Gibran Museum

4.57 MILES

According to his wishes, the body of poet and artist Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), author of the much-loved The Prophet (1923), was interred in the chapel of…

7. Qadisha Grotto

4.85 MILES

Extending around 500m into the mountain, this small grotto contains some impressive limestone formations. Though not as spectacular as Jeita Grotto near…

8. Chateau Sanctus

11.3 MILES

A boutique winery on four hectares in Marmama, this organic operation welcomes visitors to its vineyard and winery on weekends in spring and summer. Book…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "lebanon/qadisha-valley/attractions/deir-qannoubin/a/poi-sig/1576347/1333170",
      "position": "superzone"
    }