Tripoli, Lebanon
| Tripoli طرابلس | |
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| Area | |
| - City | km² |
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| Time zone | +2 (UTC) |
| - Summer (DST) | +3 (UTC) |
| Website: Tripoli-Lebanon.com | |
Tripoli (Lebanese Arabic طرابلس Ṭrāblos or Ṭrēblos, locally Ṭrōblos, Standard Arabic transliterated Ṭarābulus) is the second-largest city in Lebanon.
In ancient times, this was the center of a Phoenician confederation which included Tyre, Sidon and Arados, hence the name Tripoli, from the Greek meaning "triple city". Later, it was controlled successively by the Persians, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamelukes, and Ottomans. The Crusaders established the County of Tripoli there in the twelfth century.
Today it is the second-largest city, and second-largest port, in Lebanon, with approximately 500,000 inhabitants.[1] The city is divided between the El-Minya port district and the town of Tripoli proper.
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History
Tripoli had a number of different names as far back as the Phoenician age. In the Amarna letters the name "Derbly" was mentioned, and in other places "Ahlia" or "Wahlia" are mentioned (14th century BC). In an engraving concerning the invasion of Tripoli by the Assyrian King Ashurnasirpal II (888-859 BC), it is called Mahallata or Mahlata, Mayza, and Kayza.
Under the Phoenicians, the name Athar was used to refer to Tripoli. When the Greeks settled in the city they called it "Tripolis". The Arabs called it a variety of names, including the Princedom of Tripoli, the State of Tripoli, and the Eastern Tripoli Kingdom. In addition, the names Tarabulus, or Atrabulus, and Tarablus al-Sham (Tripoli of Syria, to differentiate it from Tarablus al-Gharb, Tripoli of Libya), were also used. The Crusaders settled in Tripoli for about 180 years and made it the capital of the County of Tripoli. The city was also simply named "Triple".
Today, Tripoli is also known as Al-Fayha'a, derived from the Arabic verb Faha which is used to indicate the spread of a certain smell. Tripoli was best known with its vast orange orchards. During the season of blooming, the pollen of orange flowers gets carried by the air spreading a splendid odor that can be felt anywhere in the city and its suburbs, hence the name al-Fayha'a.[citation needed]
See also
External links
- www.tripoli-city.org Tripoli's most prominent history scholar moderates this site
- Tripoli-Lebanon.com
- Tripoli Culture and Events
- Tripoli History
Categories
Articles with unsourced statements | Cities and villages in Lebanon | Coastal cities | Crusades | Hellenistic colonies | Phoenicia | Roman colonies