The bronze statue
8.5 m tall.
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A Christian shrine on the hill of Harissa above the bay of Jounieh, founded by the Maronite Patriarchate in 1904 and crowned by a huge bronze statue of the Virgin Mary, about 15 tonnes and 8.5 m tall, her arms open towards Beirut and the sea. The white-painted statue stands on a conical stone base wrapped by a stairway that visitors climb to the top terrace, with views over Jounieh and the coast as far as Beirut. Beside it rises a modern cathedral of concrete and glass with a striking profile. Christians and Muslims from Lebanon and abroad visit the shrine; Pope John Paul II came in 1997 and Pope Leo XIV in 2025. Modest dress and quiet in the places of prayer are expected. The nicest way up is the cable car from the Jounieh seafront, gliding over rooftops and trees for about ten minutes, then a short funicular to the shrine; per its published 2026 prices, the cable car runs Friday to Sunday. You can also drive up, and the evening is lovely for the lights of the bay.
8.5 m tall.
Over Jounieh bay.
Up from the coast.
Harissa, above the bay of Jounieh
Take the cable car from the Jounieh seafront, about ten minutes, then a short funicular to the shrine; it runs Friday to Sunday. Or drive up the mountain road.