City of ancient Syria, now in Lebanon, 60 km/36 mi northeast of Beirut. It was originally a centre of Baal worship. The Greeks identified Baal with Helios, the Sun, and renamed Baalbek Heliopolis. Its ruins, including Roman temples, survive, notably the Temple of Jupiter Heliopolitanus and the Temple of Bacchus, built in the 2nd century AD, which is still almost intact.
Initially the sun and moon had human faces, but they were removed when the flag was updated in 1962. The flag is said to express the hope that Nepal will endure as long as the sun and the moon. The blue border symbolizes peace. Effective date: 16 December 1962.