# Chtaura > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Chtaura > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Chtaura.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chtaura > Source revision: 1348343833 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{refimprove|date=January 2017}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Chtaura | other_name = | native_name = {{lang|ar|شتورا}} | nickname = | settlement_type = | motto = | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_caption = | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | image_dot_map = | dot_mapsize = | dot_map_caption = | dot_x = | dot_y = | pushpin_map = Lebanon | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_mapsize = 280 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Lebanon | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{Flag|Lebanon}} | subdivision_type1 = [Governorate](/source/Governorates_of_Lebanon) | subdivision_name1 = [Beqaa Governorate](/source/Beqaa_Governorate) | subdivision_type2 = [District](/source/Districts_of_Lebanon) | subdivision_name2 = [Zahle District](/source/Zahle_District) | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = Mayor : Nicolas Assi نقولا عاصي | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | established_title = | established_date = | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | established_title3 = | established_date3 = | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | area_blank1_sq_mi = | population_as_of = | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_total = | population_density_km2 = | population_density_sq_mi = | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_urban = | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = | population_blank1_title = Ethnicities | population_blank1 = | population_blank2_title = Religions | population_blank2 = | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_density_blank1_sq_mi = | timezone = [EET](/source/Eastern_European_Time) | utc_offset = +2 | timezone_DST = +3 | utc_offset_DST = | coordinates = {{coord|33|48|53|N|35|51|17|E|region:LB|display=inline}} | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 910 | elevation_ft = | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = 1801 | blank_name = | blank_info = | blank1_name = | blank1_info = Governor : Nicolas Assi نقولا عاصي | website = | footnotes = | name = }} '''Chtaura''' ({{langx|ar|شتورا|Shtawrā}}) is a town in [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon) in the fertile [Beqaa valley](/source/Beqaa_Valley) located between the [Mount Lebanon](/source/Mount_Lebanon) and [Syria](/source/Syria). It is located halfway on the [Beirut](/source/Beirut)–[Damascus](/source/Damascus) highway. It is located {{convert|44|km}} 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](/source/Zahl%C3%A9), [Baalbek](/source/Baalbek), or Damascus.{{Cite web|url=http://www.saidon.com/cities/chtaura.html|title=Chtaura Profile - Chtaura Overview - Lebanon - Saidon.com|website=www.saidon.com}} ==History== On January 29, 1983, the Israeli-run [Front for the Liberation of Lebanon from Foreigners](/source/Front_for_the_Liberation_of_Lebanon_from_Foreigners) detonated a car bomb close to the [Fatah](/source/Fatah) HQ at Chtaura (also named Shtura), and another in West Beirut, close to the HQ of the left-wing [Al-Mourabitoun](/source/Al-Mourabitoun). Some sixty people were killed and hundreds wounded.[Ronen Bergman](/source/Ronen_Bergman), 2018, [Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations](/source/Rise_and_Kill_First%3A_The_Secret_History_of_Israel's_Targeted_Assassinations), in "notes" For almost 30 years, during the [Lebanese Civil War](/source/Lebanese_Civil_War), the [Syrian Arab Army](/source/Syrian_Arab_Army)'s military headquarters for the [Beqaa Valley](/source/Beqaa_Valley) was in Chtaura. On 24 November 1989, following the assassination of President [René Moawad](/source/Ren%C3%A9_Moawad), his successor, [Elias Hrawi](/source/Elias_Hrawi), was elected by a hastily gathered assembly of 53 MPs in the Chtaura's Park Hotel.[Middle East International](/source/Middle_East_International) No 364, 1 December 1989, Publishers [Lord Mayhew](/source/Christopher_Mayhew), [Dennis Walters MP](/source/Dennis_Walters); [Jim Muir](/source/Jim_Muir) pp.3-5 == 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](/source/Ottoman_Empire) developed Chtaura to be the cultural hub of the [Beqaa Valley](/source/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 people. The town had a small [Armenian](/source/Armenians_in_Lebanon) community up until the start of the [Lebanese Civil War](/source/Lebanese_Civil_War).{{Cite web |date=2024-05-01 |title=V.H. Apelian's Blog: Krikor Kradjian - The Armenian Shtaura – 1 -. |url=https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2024/05/krikor-kradjian-armenian-shtaura-1_79.html |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=V.H. Apelian's Blog}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.localiban.org/article3763.html Chtaura], Localiban {{Zahle District}} Category:Populated places in Zahlé District {{lebanon-geo-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chtaura](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chtaura) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chtaura?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.