History of Niha

and the Mamluks during the 12th and 13th centuries, the Shiites fled to the Bekaa where they remain today especially in the northern parts (notably the Baalbeck region). With the arrival of the Ottomans in the 16th century, the Bekaa region was made part of the vilayet of Damascus.

The 19th century witnessed the migration of Christian families from Mount Lebanon (notably Keserwan and Matn regions) to the Bekaa. Spotty records indicate that an agreement was forged in the 19th century between the Shiite and Christian clans to exchange territories. The Christians of Tamnine exchanged lands with the Shiite inhabitants of Niha, the result of which Tamnine became a majority Shiite village, and Niha became a majority Christian village

A portion of the text in this section is courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism of Lebanon  which provided the bulk of the description on the Roman temples of Niha. Niha is home to four Roman temples that were constructed between the 1st and 3rd century AD. The Lower two temples are located on the edge of the village, and the upper two temples are about 2 km above the village in what is known as "Hosn" Niha.

The first and smallest temple was built in the 1st century AD. As one enters the gate at the edge of the