Ain Dara, Lebanon

Ain Dara (Arabic: عين داره‎), is a village about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Beirut, in the governorate of Mount Lebanon, in the Aley District. Ain Dara Municipality has an area of 2,586 hectares (9.98 sq mi), with a population of approximately 8000 persons (1700 emigrants). It had 3,874 registered voters in 2010. Originally a Druze village, Ain Dara today is a mixed Druze and Christian village, with a Christian majority, as per the recent registered voters.

Ain Dara عين داره
Village
Ain Dara Location in Lebanon
Coordinates: 33°47′N 35°43′E
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	Mount Lebanon Governorate
District	Aley District
Elevation	4,300 ft (1,300 m)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	+3
Dialing code	+961

Ain Dara is located on a southward facing slope overlooking the pine forests of the safa valley at an elevation of 1,300 metres (4,300 ft). It is close to Mount Barouk, which is famous for its cedar forest. Its altitude gives it cool summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall.

Some well-known places surrounding Ain Dara are Hammana and Mdeirej to the north, Aghmeed and Bmahray to the south, Dahr-el-Baydar to the east and Saoufar to the west. Ain Dara is known for the famous Battle of Ain Dara that took place in 1711 between the two parties of the time; the Qaysis and the Yemenis, resulting in a total Qaysi victory under the leadership of Emir Haidar Chehab; a victory that decisively established the Chehabi rule for the next 150 years.