Baalbek, and ancient Heliopolis, lying on one of the most important trade routes of the Ancient world - between Damascus and Sktirus in Eastern Lebanon. Of all the archaeological treasures of Baalbeck are built, the construction of which was absolutely impossible without construction equipment, then don't existed. Giant monolith blocks of stone weighing up to one thousand tons was the basis for hypotheses about the alien origin of buildings...

During the Roman Empire Heliopolis was one of the largest centers in the Eastern provinces. Now Baalbek - a small town in the valley of Bekaar in Lebanon, but there and now there is something to see. Stone terraces are striking for its huge size - it seems that this is a fabulous giant put them out of huge blocks. On a stone Foundation was erected ancient temple, the ruins of which survived until our days.

In the historical period that preceded the Roman conquest, the favorable geographical position of Baalbeck not contributed to his exaltation and glory. Neither of Assyria, nor in Egyptian texts about it, never even mentioned.

Trilithon in Baalbek

Helen Sader from the American University in Beirut proved that in ancient times Baalbek not played an important role. Its name derives, apparently on behalf of a deity by the name of Balaam, and refers to the fertility of the soil in the valley. When the Romans began to build here a giant temple of Jupiter, stone terraces already someone else has folded. Archaeologists who examined sure terraces much older than the ancient buildings.

Still could not find any information that would have suggested, who and when built in Baalbek terraces of hewn monoliths. This is at least strange - because we are talking not about some minor details, and about the stone communities, in comparison with which have lost even such grandiose buildings as the pyramids!

In the V century BC gigantic terraces of Heliopolis was ranked as the wonders of the world - and rightly so. Huge monolithic stone blocks with the greatest accuracy stacked on top of each other. They fit together and stay without glue.

In the wall of the terrace to the North-West integrated three largest in the world processed monolith. This so-called Trilithon - the Miracle of three stones. Monoliths brought from a quarry situated about a kilometer from the site of the temple. Stone blocks have a length of 29 m, height-4 m and a thickness of 3.6 M. the Weight of each of the three giants is from 800 to 1000 tons

Unlike Egypt, Baalbeck there is no river, and the area between Kamenolomni and terraces hilly and rocky. There's no sand plains, which was dragged to drag boulders. It is impossible to imagine how brought to the construction site of such a heavy load. But the massive blocks not only delivered from the quarry, but also raised to a height of about seven meters (two-storey house!). It is unclear, why was carving and install a huge monoliths, when you can get along fine with stone slabs smaller is faster and easier.

Close terraces found two stone block. For some reason they are not used during construction. Other processed monolith left lying in the quarry. It is unclear for what purpose it was intended, as the construction of the terraces was already finished. Previously assumed he served as a counterweight when raising a building material, but modern computing disprove this version. It is hard to believe that the architect who led such a unique and complex construction, has made such a ridiculous mistake: the "extra" block of stone weighs about 1200 tons, and it has carved out of the rock is not a day or two.

For the first time this place was mentioned in 332 BC: it was about the campaign of Alexander the great. The great commander has won almost all known in those days the world, including Baalbek. From the end of IV century B.C. the city belonged to the dynasty of the Ptolemies, about 200 BC began the sovereignty of the Seleucid dynasty. In 64 BC Baalbeck conquered the Roman Empire. As part of the Roman province of Syria Baalbek turned into a large trade and cultural center in the middle East.

The Golden age of Baalbeck started in the days of Julius Caesar. In the city housed the Roman Legion, began construction of a magnificent temple to Jupiter. The temple is built on a monumental so-called Large terrace. On the ground 88 is 48 meters were installed along the perimeter 54 columns (there are only six). The diameter of each column is 2.2, and a height of 20 m (about 6 atany house). It was the largest Church in the Roman Empire, the Parthenon, compared with the mass of the temple of Jupiter, could seem graceful miniatures.

Large terrace was the basis for the majestic temple of Jupiter, but it was not meant for this purpose.

Perhaps the Romans did not know who created it. It can be assumed that the stone space served as the Foundation for the temple construction unprecedented in size - much larger than the Roman Church giant. But such a hypothesis contradicts all of the collected historical information valley Bekaar where in the bronze age nothing special happened. In the epic of Gilgamesh mentioned mountain in pine forest, where there was the abode of the gods: "They see the cedar mountain, the abode of the gods, sacred throne Irini" (Gilgamesh, V table). Direct indications of Baalbek and Lebanese cedars in this text not, although it is possible that some connection there.

Because of its natural origin terraces in Baalbek, cannot be and speeches, they still someone had built. Even at the present level of construction equipment to lift and transport loads weighing about 1,000 tons would be extremely difficult. Roman architects, for all its achievements, could not boast of engineering knowledge needed for such constructions. The same applies to skilled Greek architects. It is striking that neither the Greeks nor the Romans, who Baalbek in the course of several centuries, did not deign terraces single word in numerous lengthy compositions.

Ironically, the European archaeologists new time went on ancient tradition of disrespect for ancient monument of architecture. Terraces have not attracted close attention of modern historians. They are much more interested in the Roman temple of Jupiter, who was standing on the stone blocks Large terrace.

But for ufologists here, perhaps, everything is quite clear. Guiding principle in the solution to the riddle was a quote from the Bible: "And I saw: and behold, a stormy wind came out of the North, a great cloud and the fire spray, and a glow around him, And from the midst of it as if the light of a flame from the midst of the fire; And from the midst of it was visible likeness of four living creatures, and that was kind of them: their appearance was like that of a man; And each had four faces, and every one had four wings; And their feet - legs straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass. And the hand of man was under their wings on four sides thereof; And their faces and wings - all four; their wings touched one another: during the procession of his they turned not as they went, and were each in the direction of their faces." (Ezek. 1 :4-9).

From the point of view of UFO, this account clearly indicates the presence on Earth of alien creatures. If representatives of highly advanced alien civilization has visited the Earth and spent some time here, they would have to build for their own purposes stone terraces, the construction of which was for the people at that time a daunting task. Rugged flat area could serve runways for interplanetary ships.

You can think of, and other technical masterpieces of ancient times, to which no one pays a special attention, although they are on everyone's mind. For example, the body of the famous Sphinx is much older than their relatively "new" Egyptian head. Anyway, thanks water traces found that the lower part of the stone animals for several thousand years older than the scalp. The creation of these fragments sphinxes attributed to unknown ancient culture, although thorough study of the Sphynx with the help of modern high-tech methods still not been carried out. Egyptian archaeologists this problem, apparently, is of little interest.

Picture of the past of humanity, the history of civilization is far from complete and contains a lot of mysteries and white spots. Just a few decades ago questioned the existence of the Hittites and of the Sumerians, but now it is proved that these peoples are not mythical legend - they lived in reality and created their culture. A new discovery can change already written pages of history. Huge terraces Baalbek still keep their secret. One thing is clear: the civilization, which left such a gigantic structures were produced with the technical capabilities that people following centuries could only dream.