Tripoli, where is the danger?

You can read and hear many places that Tripoli is an unsafe city to visit. Maybe it is, but so are so many other places worldwide; I had an exciting day in the city. Tripoli is the heartland of the Sunni Muslim community in Lebanon. It was Ramadan when I visited Tripoli, so fewer people were in the streets and the souks after what I was told. I also noticed that more restaurants were closed here than in other places in Lebanon. Apart from that, I did not see anything different in this city.

The first impression

When you arrive on a public bus to a city that struggles with poverty, the bus station is a magnet point for beggars and the shadow side of life. This was sadly also the case in Tripoli; therefore, I was offered taxis by several men in their unregistered cars. However, the old cars that were driving in the street amazed me. Cars usually do not interest me, but all these old Mercedes and Volvos reminded me of when I was young. It could look like a film set and was charming.

Tripoli Citadel

The most prominent and recognizable landmark in Tripoli is the Citadel. The Crusaders built it as a fortress on the hill called Mount Pilgrim. It has been built and demolished and reconstructed a few times. The vast castle complex is somewhat of a mishmash of architectural influences of styles due to the castle’s history. I had the whole place for myself. It is the view that makes a visit most worthwhile.

Mister Ali, a tour guide and stage manager

In one of the first Mosques I wanted to visit in Tripoli, I was “hijacked” in the Shan (courtyard) by an elderly man, Mister Ali. He bid me the most welcome to Tripoli and the Mosque and showed me around for free. He told me he used to be a stage manager for films and theatre in Belgium and Italy. Now he was retired, back in his hometown. He told me to take as many pictures as I wanted. Everybody knew him, so no problem.

I was very grateful for all his knowledge and thought he would just show me the Mosque. However, he took me out the backdoor and started an hour-long guided tour of the city. Of course, he knew all the exciting places, so he took me to beautiful churches and mosques.

Izzedin Hammam

He also took me to this Old Hammam that is not in use anymore but is open to visit for free. The walls are painted in all these bold colors, and the most fantastic ceiling with the glass balls makes a star-like heaven. The hammam has served the people of Tripoli for seven hundred and eighty years. To accomplish this public utility, they took marble fragments, sculptures, and basins from Byzantine and Crusader churches, which were then used freely to embellish this hammam.

Ali showed me so many exciting places, and he talked constantly. He was also carrying a plastic bag with him, and he told me he brought head scarves for women in case they did not have any so they could enter all the religious places. I got so much extra information from him, and I have his number if anyone needs a guide when visiting Tripoli. I did, of course, give him some tips at the end.

Ramadan and Friday prayer

As I told you earlier, it was Ramadan, and this was on a Friday, so Ali told me we had to hurry to some of the mosques before the Friday prayer. Tripoli was also where most women were covering their hair, compared to other cities in Lebanon.

Rachid Karami International Fair

This fairground was designed to house a permanent international fair capable of accommodating up to 2 million visitors a year, including a grand exhibition hall, a national pavilion, and an outdoor concert stage. When the Civil War erupted in the spring of 1975, the fairground was left incomplete and abandoned for years as foreign military control took over the area. Since then, the futuristic structures lay as deserted architectural sculptures. Nobody knows if it will ever be finished, but it is a peaceful park to walk around in, and the acoustics in the Dome is fantastic.

In the end, I had a very nice day in Tripoli, and the bus drive from Beirut was very comfortable and a nice journey along the Lebanese coast, where we also passed Byblos and Harissa. I am probably not the right person to question the foreign ministry of Norway and other countries. But I felt perfectly safe in the city, and it is many years since there have been any attacks in this area. It is a shame to miss out on this city if you are in Lebanon.