From Handbook for Travelers (1898): Route 37 Page 367
Divided from El-Mu'allaka by a narrow lane only is Zahleh (3100 ft;. Hótel Central, near the bridge, an Arab locanda offering fair accommodation; Turkish Telegraph Office), a Christian town with about 15,000 inhab., British Syrian Mission-schools, a Jesuit monastery and church, and numerous other churches. Zahleh belongs to the district of Lebanon, while El-Mu'allaka is in the vilayet of Syria. The little town winds in great curves along both banks of the brook El-Barddâi, which descends through a ravine from the Sannín. It is situated amid beautiful vegetation and possesses numerous industries. Much wine is grown here. In 1860 the
inhabitants suffered much, when the Druses took the town.
El-Mu'allaka, see p. 337. The Carriage Road thence leads in 1/4 hr. to Kerak Nûh, where the tomb of the 'prophet Noah', 102 feet in length, is shown. In 3/4 hr. we come to Ablah, a small Christian village; 1/2 hr. farther we observe Temnîn et-Tâhtâ ('the lower'), 1/4 hr. from the road on our right, and soon afterwards Temnîn el-Fôkâ ('the upper'), on the hill to our left. Near this spot are 200 tomb-chambers with entrances in the Phœnician style.
At Kasr Nebâ , about 1 hr. to the N. of Temnîn, are the ruins of a temple, and there are similar ruins at Nîhâ, about 1 hr. to the W., but both buildings are almost entirely destroyed. A better preserved temple is that of Hosn Nîhâ, 1 hr. above the village of Hiha, situated in a small valley 4200 ft. above the sea, or 1200 ft. above the plain. The temple looks towards the E., and stands on a basement 11 ft. high, which on the E. side projects 27 ft. It is approached by steps. The temple was a prostylos of the Corinthian order, and was 31 yds. long and 13 1/2 yds. wide. The W. end of the cella is raised.
After 50 min. we pass Bêt Shâmâ on a hill to our left; by the road-side is a khân. At this point the road bends to the right (E.). In 1/2 hr- we reach a bridge over the Lîtânî; 1/2 hr. farther on we pass the village of Tallîyeh on the right, and then (3/4 hr.) Mejdelûn on our left. This part of the plain is destitute of trees and only used as pasturage for cattle. On the right (35 min.) we pass the village of Dûris and then (10 min.) on the left the ruins of Kubbet Dûris, a modern well built of ancient materials with 8 beautiful columns, over which an architrave has ignorantly been placed. Close by is a sarcophagus. Hence to Ba'albek (p. 369) in 20 min.