The Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand (“Belmont” in French), was founded by Cistercian monks from France in 1157. It held a prominent status as the first and most significant among several Cistercian monastic establishments in the Levant.
Perched on a hill, 300 meters above sea level, the monastery, located 16 kilometers south of Tripoli and 80 kilometers north of Beirut, commands stunning views of the coastal plain. The site's natural features lead to speculation that it may have housed an early Byzantine monastery.
Construction of the monastery's buildings was completed between 1157 and 1169, displaying a remarkable level of prosperity that endured until the latter part of the thirteenth century. Regrettably, no documented records exist to detail the history of the Cistercian abbey. However, the monastery's affluence is inferred from its extensive arable land holdings. The Cistercians were renowned for their rigorous agricultural pursuits, a fact evident from the numerous cellars, depots, and barns at the Belmont Monastery.
The monastery's prosperity faced a setback when the Mamluks captured Tripoli in 1289. The last recorded mention of the monastery in Cistercian documents dates from 1287.
In 1603, an official restoration of the Balamand Monastery occurred. The first page of the monastic register, authored in 1610, documents the revival of the Cistercian abbey, which had remained abandoned for 330 years. This revival was the result of an agreement between the Orthodox hierarchy and the local notables, monks, and residents of the al-Kura district. Youwakim, the Metropolitan of Tripoli (1593-1604), spearheaded this endeavor, with essential support from local Muslim authorities and Sulayman al-Yaziji, the Christian secretary to the Ottoman governor of Tripoli.
Since 1603, the site has served as the heart of an Antiochian Greek Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. George. It continues to be a place for prayer and contemplation. However, since the 1970s, Balamand has undergone a transformation into a complex featuring religious and educational institutions. These institutions encompass the Our Lady of Balamand secondary school, the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology, and the University of Balamand, founded in 1988, with the Institute becoming an integral part of its academic offerings.
