Jounieh (
Arabic جونيه, or
Juniya, جونية) is a coastal city about north of
Beirut,
Lebanon and is part of
Greater Beirut. Jounieh is known for its seaside resorts and bustling nightlife, as well as its old stone
souk, ferry port, and
gondola lift (
le téléphérique), which takes passengers up the mountain to the shrine of
Our Lady of Lebanon in
Harissa. Above Jounieh, and on the way to
Harissa, a small hill named
Bkerké (
Arabic بكركي, or
Bkerki), overlooking the Jounieh bay, is the seat of the Patriarch of the
Maronite Catholic Church. Residents of Jounieh and the surrounding towns are overwhelmingly Maronite Christians.
Maameltein is a district of the city.