Moussa Abdel Karim Al Maamari, the man behind Moussa Castle, passed away yesterday. He built the famous Lebanese landmark with his own hands. Located on a hill between Deir El Kamar and Beiteddine, Moussa Castle hides an interesting story behind it! Moussa was obsessed with the architecture of the Middle Ages when he was a teenager, and he always wanted to build a castle with his own hands.
At fourteen years old, he fell in love with a girl named Sayyeda. His crush, who belongs to a wealthy family, told Moussa that he could talk to her when he owns a palace. During art class, his teacher assigned the students to draw a bird and a tree. Instead, Moussa drew a castle in which he and Sayyeda would live. The teacher, whose name was Anwar, thought that Moussa was mocking him by not following the instruction. So, he beat him with a cane and tore up the drawing. The young dreamer picked up the pieces and left.
Years later, Moussa finally built his castle with the help of his wife, Maria. The castle exhibits figurines that portray scenes of the village life. It also features artifacts, gemstones, clothing, and 32,000 weapons. It’s a heritage museum where you can go back in time.
