El-Mina

Present

• ElMina

The harbour - ElMina - three kilometers away, hosted what was apparently at one time a Phoenician town of which nothing now remains. ElMina is also known as the "City of Waves and Horizons".

• Families

A repository of Tripolitan families and expatriates.

• Handicrafts

Tripoli has long been known for its sweets industry, olive oil-based soap production, and copper crafts.

• Index Tripolis

Index Tripolis is a project to provide bibliographic information about Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Kazdoura

A wander around inside Tripoli, Lebanon: A diary of humouristic series of walkabouts "kazdouras".

• Links

Useful links and telephone numbers in Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Maps

Terrain, street, satellite, touristic, urban growth, sailing, and historical maps and aerial imagery of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• News

Daily and weekly news from Tripoli, Lebanon.

• North Lebanon

A guide for towns and villages neighbouring Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Palm Islands

The Palm islands park is a unique and integrated natural marine basin in the eastern Mediterranean that was declared as a reserve in 1994.

• Panoramic Views

Interactive panoramic views of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Tripoli e-Discussion Society

The 'Tripoli e-Discussion Society' is an independently self-controlled body that aims at gathering Tripolitans residing all over the world to discuss issues pertaining to Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Today's Tripoli

Present aspects of Tripoli, Lebanon

• Tripoli Radio

Tripoli Internet Radio features original on-demand programs about different aspects of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Tripoli TV

Tripoli Internet TV brings you the latest video clips related to Tripoli and features original on-demand films about different aspects of Tripoli, Lebanon.

Past

• History

A quick reference about Tripoli in the Prehistorical, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusades, Mameluke, and Ottoman periods.

• Monuments

The wealth of historical monuments make Tripoli the second largest preserved Mameluke city in the world.

• The Tripoli Quiz

An educational game to test your knowledge on the present and history of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Tourist Guide

A comprehensive tourist guide for sightseeing in the historical districts of Tripoli, Lebanon.

• Virtual Museum

A documented history of Tripoli from the 3rd to the 20th centuries with large collections of coins, garments, manuscripts, paintings, old photographs, and many other artifacts.

Languages

• Français

Bienvenue à Tripoli, Liban

• عربي

أهلاً بكم في طرابلس لبنان

• Ramadhan / رمضان

The Holy Month of Ramadhan in Tripoli / شهر رمضان المبارك في طرابلس

• عائلات

العائلات الطرابلسية

1. Watch the tripoli-city.org/LBC Sat documentary about elMina (Scroll to episode 6).
2. Islands: Bakar, Bellan, Fanar, Palm, Sanani, Ramkeen, etc..
3. Tripoli's Palm Islands Natural Preserve
4. Sailing Directions for Mariners
5. Photos of El-Mina (20th Century) (Photo Album)

Information presented in The Tripoli Internet Database/tripoli-city.org web site is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized public reproduction or distribution of material contained in The Tripoli Internet Database/tripoli-city.org web site, or any portion of it, may result in severe civil and criminal penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible under the law.

Please send your comments, suggestions, or contributions to: Dr. Ghazi Omar Tadmouri.

At present, Tripoli is really made up of two towns - the city proper with its ancient and modern quarters, and the harbour - "ElMina"- three kilometers away, where there was apparently at one time a Phoenician town of which nothing now remains. ElMina is also known as the "City of Waves and Horizons".

ElMina occupies at present a total surface area of 3.5 Km2. It used to be known as the "Iskele" until a law (21/12/1979; municipality decision 178,19/1977) defined the name as ElMina. On 6.6.1996 the law no. 507 defined ElMina as a 'city' and not a 'town'. ElMina celebrates it's anniversary on the 9th of September of every year.

The Mina used to be surrounded by a great wall. Only some traces are remaining in western el-Mina in Mabro land. The wall used to be a great and strong construction with a great ditch in the eastern part of the city from any sea attack. The ditch used to have a great iron gate.

In el-Mina there are 5 main parks:

1. Mashti (The winter): It is close to the seaside where the old port of the city used to be. A great anchor is placed at its center.
2. Shouhada (Martyrs): It was constructed in 1964. It has a water pool at the center.
3. Hatef (The telephone tower): It was desgined and constructed in 1979. It has lots of palm trees, white seats, and childrens playgrounds.
4. Baher (Fabulous): It contains more than 500 tree types.
5. Bourj (the tower) or el-Bi'a (the environment): It contains some monumental remains, palm trees, and flowering shrubs.

Primary thouroughfares

1. Shari' Port Said: Is surrounded on both sides with 8-storey high buildings. This street represents the continuation between el-Mina and Tripoli. It was constructed in 1879.
2. Shari' Mar Eliyas, alias Shari' Port Said: Christian and Muslim names of the new boulevard separating the new and old parts of the Mina.
3. Jaddet Rafiq el-Hariri (The Corniche): It is a 34-meters wide street on the seaside that runs to the Bohsas district. Both ways of the street are separated by palm trees. The seaside part is a gathering point for people willing to promenade. Constructed in 1985.
4. The Mina-Beirut Highway: Constructed in 1992.

Primary streets

1. Shari' al-Gumruk: customs, waterfront
2. Suq al-Kharab: Christian commercial
3. Suq al-Muslimiyyah: Muslim commercial
4. Shari' al-Marfa'a (the harbour): It runs towards the Tebbaneh Square and the road leading to el-Quobbeh and the Mallouleh Autoroute.

Network of streets

1. Hayy Mar Ilyas: Christian residential
2. Sahit Tirb: Christian residential-commercial
3. Zawqaq al-Na'ura: Muslim residential-commercial
4. Shari' Nuss Birtawshi: Muslim residential
5. Buwwabi: Muslim residential

Squares

1. St Georgios: It was constructed on top of an old Christian cemetery. The cemetery was moved out of the town. This square is surrounded by shoping bazars, the St Georgios church, and a small park is in its center.
2. Masjed: It was constructed on top of an old Muslim cemetery. It is surrounded by a popular vegetables and fruits bazaar. At its center are some palm trees.

Aerial view of ElMina.

Aerial view of ElMina (1980s).

Aerial view of ElMina (Center top to bottom: Port Said Boulevard).

Aerial view of Port Said Boulevard, El-Mina.

Aerial view of Rafiq Hariri Boulevard (The Corniche), El-Mina.

Fishing Boats at El-Mina.

A passage under a mosque.

The fishing port.

St Georgios / Municipality Square.

A historical construction at elMina.

The Bakar Island as seen from the sea (El-Mina behind).