Al-Qantara Explained

Al-Qantara
Native Name:القنطرة
Native Name Lang:ara
Settlement Type:Municipality
Pushpin Map:Lebanon
Pushpin Map Alt:Map showing the location of Qabrikha within Lebanon
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Lebanon
Coordinates:33.2736°N 35.4636°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:
Subdivision Type1:Governorate
Subdivision Name1:Nabatieh Governorate
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Marjayoun District
Elevation M:470
Timezone1:EET
Utc Offset1:+2
Timezone1 Dst:EEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+3
Area Code Type:Dialing code
Area Code:+961

Al-Qantara (القنطرة) is a municipality in the Marjayoun District in southern Lebanon.

Etymology

According to E. H. Palmer, the name El Kantarah means "the arch",[1] qantara (ar|قنطرة) also being used in Arabic to denote a bridge built of stone or masonry, an aqueduct or a dam, and a high building.[2]

History

In 1875 Victor Guérin found that the village had 150 Metawileh inhabitants.[3] He further remarked: "The mosque is built of hewn stones of apparent antiquity. Its door is surmounted by a lintel belonging to an ancient Christian church, in the midst of which can be made out a cross with equal branches enclosed in a circle."[4]

In 1881, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine (SWP) described it: "A village, built of stone, containing about 250 [..] Metawileh, situated on an isolated and conspicuous hill, and surrounded by gardens, olives, and figs. There are two perennial springs a little to the south of the village."[5]

On 24 August 1994 two members of Hizbollah were killed in Qantara in clashes with the South Lebanon Army.[6]

Demographics

In 2014 Muslims made up 99.80% of registered voters in Al-Qantara. 98.27% of the voters were Shiite Muslims.[7]

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Palmer, 1881, p. 23
  2. Book: van Donzel, Emeri Johannes . Emeri Johannes van Donzel . Islamic Desk Reference . BRILL . 1994 . 24 . 9789004097384 . 10 July 2020.
  3. Guérin, 1880, p. 272
  4. Guérin, 1880, p. 272; as given in Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, p. 116
  5. Conder and Kitchener, 1881, SWP I, p. 87
  6. [Middle East International]
  7. https://lub-anan.com/المحافظات/النبطية/مرجعيون/القنطرة/المذاهب/