Douma, Lebanon
Encyclopedia
Douma is a Lebanese
village located at an altitude of 1000m, 80 km from Beirut
and 30 km from Jbeil and 43 km from Tripoli
. Douma is a part of Batroun District
and is known for its special location in a valley surrounded by mountains. Almost all its houses are made of red brick. It enjoys a unique temperate climate praised by physician
s as the ultimate place of medical refuge. Its ground is rich and welcomes all sorts of plants especially and has an abundance olive
trees, vine
and apple
trees.
, Romans
to Turks. However the Ottoman Empire
left the largest impact on Douma's inhabitants.
In the town square
sits a 4th century A.D. sarcophagus
, bearing a Greek inscription recording that this was the burial place of Castor, who died in 317 A.D.
origin meaning "house", "palace" or "castle". Douma also comes from the Latin
word "Doman" used to designate a Queen (Julia Domna
) famous for her beauty and intelligence. She was born in Alep
in 170 B.C., the daughter of a priest of the Sun God worshiped by the Alep's population. She was married to the Roman Caesar Septime Severe
who built for her a palace in a village that later took on her name.
Douma's pronunciations also comes from the Hebrew language
word of "Doumah" meaning calm and rest.
Douma is also named "Douma El Hadid" (Douma of Iron or Iron-Douma) due to the abundance of Iron
found it its soil and the superior craftsmanship of its blacksmith
s. The arming industry established under Ibrahimn Basha's regime encouraged many people from Showeir to come and settle in Douma since opportunities of work were plentiful at the time.
and housing
in Douma was built between 1881 and 1914. This was the golden age in the life of Douma financed by the money sent by emigrants in Brazil
, Argentina
and USA
. Among the fabulous houses in Douma is that of Wa'il Kheir, where the history of the house reflects the history of Douma.
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
village located at an altitude of 1000m, 80 km from Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and 30 km from Jbeil and 43 km from Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
. Douma is a part of Batroun District
Batroun District
Batroun District is a district in the North Governorate, Lebanon, south of Tripoli. The capital is Batroun.-Cities and towns:* Abrine* Assia*Batroun* Bazbina* Bchaaleh* Beit Kassab* Bijdarfil* Billa* Deir Billa* Bqosmaya* Chatine...
and is known for its special location in a valley surrounded by mountains. Almost all its houses are made of red brick. It enjoys a unique temperate climate praised by physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s as the ultimate place of medical refuge
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
trees, vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
and apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
trees.
History
Douma witnessed different civilizations including the GreeksAncient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
, Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
to Turks. However the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
left the largest impact on Douma's inhabitants.
In the town square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
sits a 4th century A.D. sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
, bearing a Greek inscription recording that this was the burial place of Castor, who died in 317 A.D.
Origin of the name
The name Douma has a GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
origin meaning "house", "palace" or "castle". Douma also comes from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word "Doman" used to designate a Queen (Julia Domna
Julia Domna
Julia Domna was a member of the Severan dynasty of the Roman Empire. Empress and wife of Roman Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus and mother of Emperors Geta and Caracalla, Julia was among the most important women ever to exercise power behind the throne in the Roman Empire.- Family background...
) famous for her beauty and intelligence. She was born in Alep
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
in 170 B.C., the daughter of a priest of the Sun God worshiped by the Alep's population. She was married to the Roman Caesar Septime Severe
Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus , also known as Severus, was Roman Emperor from 193 to 211. Severus was born in Leptis Magna in the province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary succession of offices under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Severus seized power after the death of...
who built for her a palace in a village that later took on her name.
Douma's pronunciations also comes from the Hebrew language
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
word of "Doumah" meaning calm and rest.
Douma is also named "Douma El Hadid" (Douma of Iron or Iron-Douma) due to the abundance of Iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
found it its soil and the superior craftsmanship of its blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
s. The arming industry established under Ibrahimn Basha's regime encouraged many people from Showeir to come and settle in Douma since opportunities of work were plentiful at the time.
Development
The majority of the infrastructureInfrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
and housing
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
in Douma was built between 1881 and 1914. This was the golden age in the life of Douma financed by the money sent by emigrants in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Among the fabulous houses in Douma is that of Wa'il Kheir, where the history of the house reflects the history of Douma.