“Walking routes in the archaeological site and surrounding natural area of Msaylha fortress in Lebanon”

Students : Jihad Atieh, Despoina Makri, Vassilis Perpyrakis
Supervisor : Dimitris Papalexopoulos, Assistant Professor NTUA
National Technical University of Athens
Presentation Date : April 6, 2009

It is about a pre-roman archaeological site on which the Msaylha fortress of the 16^th century dominates. The site was almost destroyed due to illegal quarrying in the area, during the civil war (1975-1990).

The subject of this diploma project is the restoration of the natural scenery and the development of a network of observatories with an aim to distinguish the fortress and to reinforce the contact between human and nature. The unique structure of the mountain, the Al Jawze river, the ancient road, as well as the sharp boundary of the highway, are the basic characteristics which have be taken into account in order to develop the area as long as interference and functioning are concerned.

This creates a network of hiking trails and plateaus of resting and viewing which extends from the neighboring town of Batrun to the fortress at approximately four kilometers. At the part of the configuration around the fortress, a thickening of functions and movement possibilities takes place, where ramps and stairs combine with corridors and plateaus leading to multi-levels "creations", developed spiral to the fortress.

The study on the geometrical features of the area has lead to the choice of two main sectors of action. One sector forms part of a boundary protecting the area from the discomfort caused by the highway, while the second one aims at the creation of hiking paths and rest points by the surface of the rock or even upward it.

The selection of the materials, wood and metal, has major importance in the least possible tampering of the natural surrounding area as well as the merging of the constructions with the nature.

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