Saint Takla Church (Bkassine)

Saint Takla Church in Bkassine is an officially classified heritage building recognized by Lebanon's Directorate General of Antiquities. An earlier church stood on the site by the late 17th century and was rebuilt in 1750, while the present cross-shaped Gothic church was constructed between 1909 and 1928 and inaugurated on September 14, 1928. The church was restored following the 1956 earthquake, with additional restoration and exterior improvements completed in 2007. Located beside the renowned Bkassine Pine Forest, one of the largest stone pine forests in the Middle East, the church hosts the annual Saint Takla Festival each September and remains one of the village's principal landmarks.