Chtaura

Chtaura () is a town in Lebanon in the fertile Beqaa valley located between the Mount Lebanon and Syria. It is located halfway on the Beirut - Damascus highway. It is located from Beirut.
Chtaura is the valley's hub for banking, transportation, and commerce, with many hotels and restaurants on the main road. From Chtaura, travelers can depart for Zahlé, Baalbek, or Damascus.
A few kilometers south from Chtaura on the main road lies the village of Tannayal (from the Aramaic word for "the Grace of God"). An estate that has been converted to a farm and retreat centre in Ignatian spirituality, owned by the Jesuit fathers since 1860. Exotic fowl including peacocks and doves can be found there. It is a working farm and also serves as a teaching facility for the Faculty of Agriculture at Saint Joseph University located in Beirut.
Climate.
The area east of Lebanon is known for its dryness. It rarely rains in Chtaura in the summer, and there is a lack of humidity. The summers are warm, with temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius. In winter there are an average of 3-4 snowstorms yearly.
Population.
Chtaura's population has steadily grown since its founding. A century ago, Chtaura had less than two- thousand inhabitants and 70 houses. In the early 20th Century the Ottomans developed Chtaura to be the cultural Hub of the Beqaa Valley due to its strategic location, and the population jumped to about 10,000-15,000 people. The population continued to grow throughout the twentieth century, and today the town is home to about 60-80,000 Lebanese.