Magdlon al -Boustan : Permanent Green, Fresh Water Around the Year

Magdlon al-Boustan village is located on the slopes of a forest –clad mountain, about 8 kilometers to the west of Safita in Tartous. The fertile land of the village, which is irrigated by permanent Fresh water springs, is situated at the bottom of the slops.

Magdlon al-Boustan or “orchard’s heaven” was called so because of the wonderful orchards, particularly of citrus trees, that distinguished the village since old ages. These orchards have been associated with the existence of two water sources; “Aein al-Kanesah ” and “Aein alkarm ” in addition to the winter river of Ghamqa” which keeps running until the end of Spring.

The village is of great historical importance as it contains Phoenician and Byzantine ruins, including rooms, corridors, roads, bathrooms and old houses from which villagers benefited in building their houses.

 Between 1968 and 1969, two old stones were discovered in the village. The first had a rectangular shape on which scripts in three languages including the Roman and the Greek were written. The other was basaltic and had prismatic shape. On its faces, different shapes and pictures including a snake, a naked woman, a bunch of grapes and a child were drawn. These two pieces of antiquities were transferred to Tartous Museum.

Villagers have benefited from the beautiful nature of Magdlon al-Boustan and its fresh water springs, which cross the village from end to end, by setting up parks, restaurants and resorts on both sides.

Aein al-Kaneseh (eye of the church) spring has a historical significance as lots of ancient archeological sites, which go back to the Phoenicians, were discovered there, while Aein al-Karm spring was named so due to the citrus orchards which exist so close to it.

Amal Farhat