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Aitou our lovely village is lying on four hills : " JABAL AYTO(EL KAREN)-EL ALAMA-DNIT-KANISSA HILL".
It is one of the first villages in Casa ZGHARTA , far from the capital , by 113 km and far from Tripoli by 27 km , and
Zgharta , the casa center , by 19 km . It is between 900 & 1300 meters above sea level. The village's area is about 6.9
km2 or 6,900,000 meters squares.
The name of Aitou is translated
as ‘Summer Resort” in Syriac, in reference to its location on an elevation relatively close to the coast.
Aitou is famous for its horn-like
structure cut into rocks, known as the qarn (Horn) of Aitou.
Aitou’s landscape
is rocky, with forests of trees growing between the rocks. The town has some old vestiges, such as an old tower and a temple.
Above the temple stands the Monastery of Saint Simon (Al Amoudi), indicating that this land was s Phoenician place of worship.
A completely submerged sarcophagus cut into rocks was discovered in Aitou and has been deemed very important by researchers.
The sarcophagus is composed of a tomb cut into rocks known as the (Nawous) , and it is located to the north of the Qarn of
Aitou. Some researchers believe the sarcophagus belongs to Kinaan Bin Ham Bin Noah, also known as Finik , the grandfather
of the Phoenicians.
During the 2nd century B.C., Aitou
became famous for its forests, as indicated by a hieroglyphic inscription kept in the Beirut National Museum. This inscription
was sent by Egypt’s Pharaoh Pepi II to one of the Byblos kings asking for a number of trees from the woods of the God
Aitou in order to extract the resin used by the Egyptians for embalmment
Monuments
1. Mar Youssef (Saint Joseph)
2. Mar Sema’an (Saint Simon)
Monastery
3. Mar Sarkis and Bakhos Ancient
Church
4. Mar Doumit Ancient Church
5. Mr. Barbar Torbey Heritage House
6. Al-Saydeh (our Lady) Ancient
Church
7. Old Jarbich Area holds an Old
press
8. Mar Sema’an Church (Saint
Simon)
9. Saint Rafqa Church
10. Saint Challita Ancient Monastery
11. Qarn (Horn) Aitou holds an Old
sarcophagus
Restaurants
1. La Roche D’or Restaurant 03/326607 www.larochedor.com
2. Al-Sindiyaneh Restaurant
3. Le relais Restaurant 06/575042
4. Trad Restaurent
Snaks( fast food):
Take a Break
Abou dany
Super Night club : The
old Inn
Markets: Mini Market Abou Jamil
Mini
market toufik hitti
Mini
market bakhos alwan
Mini market
Suzi Kerbage
Clothes and shoes : nakhil
Prix Choc
Ladies accessories : Rania Haddad-Hadchity
Barber: Salon Tony khoury
for men
Internet and electronics games: Elie
haddad
Handicrafts:
Mar Sema’an Monastery for Nuns is characterized
by several handicrafts, including sewing and embroidery, rse and flower water production, production of marsepan as well as
local dairy products.
For
more information,please contact the monastery, tel. : 03/881865
Recreation
- Nayef Alwan Sculpture Atelier 06/575120 – 03/825528
Fer Forge Atelier: Said Younes 03/326726
Sayed Alwan
Pierre Younes
Carpentry: Youssef Halloul
06/575087
Cars Electrics : Joseph Sous
Houses Electrics: Phillipe
Haddad
Said Sous
Agriculture: Apples, Pears and grapes.
Celebrations: The feast of :
Mar Sarkis and Bakhos - 7th of October,
Mar Semaan - 3rd of February
Virgin Mary - 15th of August,
Mar Doumit - 7th of August,
Number of inhabitants: only 700 people live in Ayto , in about 200 houses, and the rest of the
houses are totally deserted because of high rate of immigration. In 1975 , before the Lebanese war , about 1400 people used
to live in Ayto , and although many of the immigrants have not registered their children in the Lebanese official sit was
notice able that the number of the people who participated in the elections for the year 2003 reached up to ( )person . It
has also been estimated according to some statistics that in the U.S.A there are about 14,000 immigrants from aitou ,(in peoria
6500)and in Venezuela, and in other countries like Australia , africa , Brazil , and other European and Arab countries.
The first family who immigrate from ayto was khoury's family and they established the biggest Lebanese
club in poeria (usa).
Families in Ayto:
Today , in Aitou the following family names exist : El-Khoury, ,Alwan , Sleiman , Younes , Halloul,
Hitty , Sous , Sarkis , Torbey , Bechara , Gibrine , Trad , El- jem , Moujali , Halhoul , Chwayre , Maroun , Saliba ,
kerbaj.
It is worthy mentioning , however, that a big number of the families mentioned above do not exist anymore
in Ayto since they have all immigrated for good , like Elhessen , Lahoud .
Borders:
From the east :MAZRAA EL TOFAH & MEZIYARRA.
From the west: SERAAL AND TORZA.
From the south: SEBEEL.
From the north: EJBEH.
To be in ayto:
1 FROM BEIRUT: +beirut-tripoli-zgharta-kferhata-arjess-kfarfo-karem sadeh- sebeel-ayto. +beirut-
chekka-amiyoun-kessba-torza-serhel-ejbeh-ayto.
2 FROM BEKAA: +bekaa-arez(ceders)-becharre-hadchit-blawza-ban-kferzghab-ehden-ejbeh-ayto.
3 FROM AKKAR: +akkar-badawi-tripoli-kobeh-mejdlaya-zgharta-kferhata-arjess-kfarfo-karem sadeh-sebeel-ayto.
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