The Temple of Jupiter in Baalbek, Lebanon, was the largest Roman
temple ever constructed. Although much of the temple was
destroyed under the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius, 6 of its
original 54 columns still stand today. First established as a
holy site by the Phoenicians, Baalbek, once known as Heliopolis,
became a Roman colony in 47 B.C. There the Romans constructed
three temples in honor of the gods Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury.
The complex that includes the well-preserved ruins of these
temples is a major archaeological site in Lebanon. But as
fighting escalated after a Hezbollah raid into Israel on July
12, many people feared for Baalbek and Lebanon's other
archaeological and cultural treasures. Now that a tentative
cease-fire has been declared, experts returning to the country
say that the siteswhich have successfully survived decades of
violence in the war-torn regionappear to have once again emerged
unscathed. See photos of Baalbek and other ruins in Lebanon that
have been designated World Heritage Site