Banknote Billet Lebanon 10 livres 1964-1986

This 10 Lebanese Pounds banknote was issued by the Banque du Liban over a period spanning from 1964 to 1986. It represents an iconic piece of Lebanese monetary history, bearing witness to a pivotal era for the country.

The banknote highlights two sites of major importance to Lebanese heritage. The Raouché Rock, also known as the Pigeons' Rock, is a spectacular natural geological formation located at sea, off the coast of Beirut. This natural symbol of Lebanon is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the country. The Ruins of Baalbek, for their part, constitute one of the most remarkable archaeological complexes in the Near East, with its monumental Roman temples dedicated to Jupiter, Bacchus and Venus. These ruins, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, illustrate the grandeur of Roman architecture and Lebanon's exceptional historical legacy.

The graphic design of this banknote reflects the desire of the Lebanese monetary authorities to showcase the natural and historical wealth of the national territory, combining on a single medium two fundamental identity references: the Mediterranean coastal landscape and the ancient archaeological heritage.

The face value of 10 pounds places this banknote within the Lebanese monetary system as it functioned during the decades following the country's independence. The Lebanese pound, introduced in 1939 as a replacement for the Syrian and Lebanese pound, remains to this day the official monetary unit of Lebanon.

This banknote, issued over a period of more than twenty years, lived through considerable historical moments in Lebanon, most notably the years of the civil war that began in 1975, making it a direct witness to the political and economic upheavals experienced by the country during that period.