Zahlé (Arabic: زحلة / ALA-LC: Zaḥlah; also transliterated Zahleh) is the capital and largest city of Beqaa Governorate, Lebanon. With around 320,000 inhabitants, it is the third largest city in Lebanon, after Beirut and Tripoli. It is situated 55 km (34 mi) east of the capital Beirut, close to the Beirut-Damascus road, and lies at the junction of the Lebanon mountains and the Beqaa plateau, at a mean elevation of 1000m. Zahlé is known as the "Bride of the Beqaa" and "the Neighbor of the Gorge" due to its geographical location and attractiveness, but also as "the City of Wine and Poetry" It is famous throughout Lebanon and the region for its pleasant climate, numerous riverside restaurants and quality arak. Its population is predominantly Catholic and known as Zahlawis.
Read more about Zahlé: Origin of Name, History, Geography and Climate, Population, Economy, Education, Transportation, Cityscape and Architecture, Culture, Notable Natives