- Douma, Lebanon
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Douma is a Lebanese village located at an altitude of 1000m, 80 km from Beirut and 30 km from Jbeil and 43 km from Tripoli. Douma is a part of Batroun District and is known for its special location in a valley surrounded by mountains. Almost all its houses are made of red brick. It enjoys a unique temperate climate praised by physicians as the ultimate place of medical refuge <ref?>. Its ground is rich and welcomes all sorts of plants especially and has an abundance olive trees, vine and apple trees.
History
Douma witnessed different civilizations including the Greeks, Romans to Turks. However the Ottoman Empire left the largest impact on Douma's inhabitants.
In the town square sits a 4th century A.D. sarcophagus, bearing a Greek inscription recording that this was the burial place of Castor, who died in 317 A.D.
Origin of the name
The name Douma has a Greek origin meaning "house", "palace" or "castle". Douma also comes from the Latin word "Doman" used to designate a Queen (Julia Domna) famous for her beauty and intelligence. She was born in Alep in 170 B.C., the daughter of a priest of the Sun God worshiped by the Alep's population. She was married to the Roman Caesar Septime Severe who built for her a palace in a village that later took on her name.
Douma's pronunciations also comes from the Hebrew language word of "Doumah" meaning calm and rest.
Douma is also named "Douma El Hadid" (Douma of Iron or Iron-Douma) due to the abundance of Iron found it its soil and the superior craftsmanship of its blacksmiths. The arming industry established under Ibrahimn Basha's regime encouraged many people from Showeir to come and settle in Douma since opportunities of work were plentiful at the time.
Development
The majority of the infrastructure and housing in Douma was built between 1881 and 1914. This was the golden age in the life of Douma financed by the money sent by emigrants in Brazil, Argentina and USA. Among the fabulous houses in Douma is that of Wa'il Kheir, where the history of the house reflects the history of Douma.
Categories:- Populated places in the North Governorate
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