The Cedars of Lebanon, Ancient Giants of the Mountains

Some trees are far more than simple plants, for they carry within them the memory and the pride of an entire nation. The cedar of Lebanon is exactly such a tree, standing tall and noble upon the high mountains of the eastern Mediterranean. For thousands of years it has inspired poets, travellers and kings alike with its quiet and truly timeless beauty.

A tree of the high mountains

The cedar of Lebanon is a large evergreen conifer that belongs to the same wide family as the pines and the firs. It grows naturally high up in the mountains of the eastern Mediterranean, in Lebanon as well as in parts of Syria and Turkey. There it thrives at great heights, often far above a thousand metres, where the cool and clean mountain air suits it perfectly.

These trees clearly prefer the clear and bracing climate of the heights, where the winters can be cold and snow often falls. They may grow alone or gather together in beautiful forests, sometimes mixed with other hardy mountain trees. Standing among them, surrounded by their deep green branches, one feels a wonderful and lasting sense of calm and peace.

Giants that live for centuries

The cedar of Lebanon is a true giant, capable of reaching an impressive height of around forty metres when it is fully grown. Its massive trunk can swell to a remarkable thickness, supporting great branches that spread outwards like welcoming open arms. Seen from below, such an old tree looks almost like a living cathedral built entirely out of ancient wood.

What makes these trees even more remarkable is their truly extraordinary and almost unbelievable natural lifespan. They grow fairly quickly when young, but then slow down greatly, adding only a little new wood each year over many centuries. Some of the oldest cedars still standing today were already alive long before many famous events of history ever took place.

A proud national symbol

For the people of Lebanon, the cedar is much more than simply a beautiful tree growing quietly upon their mountains. It stands proudly at the very centre of the national flag, where its green shape is now known right across the whole world. The same noble tree also appears on the country's coat of arms, serving as a deeply treasured emblem of the nation.

This deep bond between the cedar and the land has lasted for a very long time indeed, passing through countless generations. The tree has come to represent strength, endurance and a quiet dignity that the people still hold very dear to their hearts. To see a cedar is, in many ways, to see the very spirit of Lebanon itself standing proudly before you.

Prized since ancient times

The great fame of the Lebanese cedar reaches back thousands of years, far into the earliest chapters of recorded human history. Its wood was greatly prized for being strong, long lasting and wonderfully fragrant, unlike almost any other timber of the age. For these very reasons it was treasured by many of the great civilizations that once flourished around the ancient world.

The seafaring Phoenicians famously used the mighty cedar to build their sturdy ships, which carried them across distant and dangerous seas. The precious wood was also traded far and wide and used in the building of grand temples and splendid royal palaces. In this quiet way, a humble mountain tree once helped to shape the very course of the ancient world.

The Cedars of God

Among all the cedar forests of Lebanon, one ancient grove is especially famous and very deeply loved by the people. Known as the Cedars of God, it lies high in the mountains near the historic town of Bsharri, within a beautiful valley. Here grow some of the oldest and most majestic cedars still remaining anywhere in the entire country today.

This precious old forest has long been carefully protected and is now recognized as a site of great world heritage value. Walking quietly among its ancient trunks, visitors can truly feel the great weight of the many centuries that have passed. It is a peaceful and almost sacred place, where nature and human history seem to blend gently into one.

Protecting a living treasure

Sadly, the cedar of Lebanon faces some real difficulties today, and the species is now considered vulnerable by many experts. Over the long centuries, many forests were cut down, and changes in the climate now pose a further serious threat to the trees. For this reason, protecting the remaining cedars has become an important and rather urgent task for many people.

Happily, there are now many hopeful efforts across the whole region to plant young cedars and to care for the forests that still remain. Visitors too can help, simply by treating these very special places with the deep respect that they so clearly deserve. With patience and care, these ancient giants may continue to stand proudly upon the mountains for many generations to come.