Haidara - Temple of Sun

Roman-era monument carved into a steep limestone cliff in Qab Elias overlooking the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, measuring 13 metres wide and 10 metres high. Archaeologists suggest a funerary and cultic function by comparing it to rock-cut structures at Petra, earning it the nickname 'Lebanon's Little Petra'. According to local legend, a mirror once adorned the polished facade and reflected sunlight into the village, linked to Roman sun-worship practices. The village name itself may derive from 'Kab Helios' meaning 'Facing the Sun God,' reflecting the monument's connection to solar religious traditions of the Roman period.