Kouba village, north of Batroun, preserves a Crusader era church built during the 2nd half of the 12th century AD. The church is known as “Saint-Sauveur” or as the locals call it “Sansabour”.
Structure
Constructed from local sandstone, likely extracted from Kouba’s rocky promontory, the church follows a simple design with a single nave measuring 12.10×5.45m that connects to an apse on the east
The interior is illuminated by 6 windows, and is accessible from the western side through an arched main door crowned by a large circular stained glass window (rosace), and from the northern side by a simple door.
A distinctive feature of this structure, rarely found in Lebanon, is the cubic-shaped tower on the western corner, possibly indicating a basic defensive function, as evidenced by an arrow slit window.
Additionally, on the west side, integrated features in the walls, such as corbels (structural elements projecting from a wall to support weight) and mortises (a woodworking joint involving a hole and a corresponding projection), can be noticed. These elements used to probably connect to a porch – a covered entrance or area at the front of the structure, potentially housing a baptistery, similar to the one seen at the Crusader church of Saint-Jean Mark in Byblos.
Karim Sokhn
Tour Operator & Tour Guide
References:
Al-Batrūn, Ra’s aš-Šaq‘ah wa-l-Msaylḥah
