also spelled Gharifeh · elevation ~702 m
Ghraifeh is in the Chouf District of Mount Lebanon, about 50 km from Beirut, about a 50-minute drive. Its closest Chouf neighbours are Hasrout (~2.1 km), Ainbal (~2.7 km) and Mazraat El Chouf (~3.1 km).
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Gharifeh is a village in the Chouf District of Lebanon.
Freiha traces the name to Syriac, a passive noun whose root corresponds to the Arabic 'jarf', so the meaning is the flat ground at the side of the mountain. Ancient remains were found in the nearby Hasrout area.
Freiha traced Gharifeh to a Syriac root matching the Arabic for a bank or bluff, giving the sense of level ground on the flank of the mountain. Its people were displaced during the war and returned after reconciliations.
1909 born in Gharifeh
Najib Harb was born in Gharifeh in 1909 and left with his family for the Druze mountain in Syria during the First World War. He first worked in trade, then turned to journalism, and fought in the 1925 revolt, including the Battle of Mazraa.
Source: Areq: Najib Harb
17 years of al-Jabal
Harb set up the first Arab press office in Suwayda in 1931. In 1942 he and his brother Naaman launched the newspaper al-Jabal, which ran there for 17 years.
Unconfirmed The same page gives 1932 and 1945 for these two dates in its opening summary.
Source: Areq: Najib Harb
1974 died in Damascus
Najib Harb died in Damascus on 30 June 1974 and was buried at al-Mujaymir, in the Druze mountain of Syria.
Source: Areq: Najib Harb
Farah Social Foundation has run a project in Gharifeh where lavender was grown and made into oil and water.
Source: Czech Embassy in Beirut
450,000 Czech koruna in 2025
In 2025 the Czech Republic gave 450,000 koruna to build on that work. It paid for equipment for a community kitchen for rural women, to turn local lavender and other produce into oil and preserves.
Source: Czech Embassy in Beirut
80,000 olive trees
Arabic Wikipedia counts about 80,000 olive trees on Gharifeh's farmland, with four olive presses serving the harvest.
Source: Arabic Wikipedia: Gharifeh
Gharifeh is known for its olive oil, and some of its trees are very old.
Unconfirmed Wikipedia says the oil comes from trees dating from Roman times, and Arabic Wikipedia says some are older still. No dated study backs either.
Sources: Wikipedia: Gharifeh · Arabic Wikipedia: Gharifeh
4 village fountains
The hills under Gharifeh hold a large store of groundwater. Arabic Wikipedia says its springs run down to the village by gravity, to a fountain in each of four neighbourhoods.
Source: Arabic Wikipedia: Gharifeh
Along Nahr al-Hammam stand old bridges, stone basins and the remains of water mills. Arabic Wikipedia suggests the basins may have been used for bathing, which could explain the river's name.
Unconfirmed The same page says the mills are probably Roman, with no survey behind it.
Source: Arabic Wikipedia: Gharifeh
Arabic Wikipedia describes rock-cut tombs in many shapes around Gharifeh, some under the ground and some high in the cliffs, along with old clay jars.
Source: Arabic Wikipedia: Gharifeh
Among the old things in Gharifeh, Wikipedia lists a bridge that links the Chouf to Iqlim el-Kharroub.
Source: Wikipedia: Gharifeh
3 floors
A three-storey village hall stands at the northern entrance. Arabic Wikipedia says a local sheikh built it as a gift. It holds the municipal offices and a lending library, and families gather there for weddings and funerals.
Source: Arabic Wikipedia: Gharifeh
2 schools
Wikipedia says the village has two schools, one public and one private.
Source: Wikipedia: Gharifeh
أبو حمدان، حرب، حمادة، حمزة، راجح، زين الدين، سعد، شمس، غندور، فايز، قفادني، مسعود، معن، منذر، نصر الدين، نصر اللّه، وهاب، حدّاد، خوري، رحال، نصر
~50 km from Beirut · ~50 min drive
The town of Ghraifeh is in the Chouf district of Mount Lebanon, Lebanon, at around 702 m elevation.
Ghraifeh sits about 702 m above sea level.
Ghraifeh is about 50 km from Beirut, roughly a 50-minute drive.
Ghraifeh is roughly 19 km from Saida (Sidon) in a straight line.
Freiha traces the name to Syriac, a passive noun whose root corresponds to the Arabic 'jarf', so the meaning is the flat ground at the side of the mountain. Ancient remains were found in the nearby Hasrout area.
Families associated with Ghraifeh include: أبو حمدان, حرب, حمادة, حمزة, راجح, زين الدين, سعد, شمس, غندور, فايز, قفادني, مسعود, معن, منذر, نصر الدين, نصر اللّه, وهاب, حدّاد, خوري, رحال, نصر.
Notable people connected to Ghraifeh include Hasib Bou Hamdan, Samir Wahib Bou Hamdan, Fendi Hamadeh, Antoine Nasr.
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