Bsharri is the town of the only remaining and preserved original Cedars of God ("Cedrus libani"), and is the birthplace of the famous poet, painter and sculptor Khalil Gibran who now has a museum in the town to honour him. Moreover, Bsharri is home to the oldest skiing area, the Cedars Ski Resort, and to Lebanon’s first ski lift, built in 1953. The resort is about a two-hour drive and 130 km (81 mi) from Beirut. Qurnat as Sawdā Mountain in Bsharri is the highest peak in the Levant, at 3,088 meters above sea level.