Aley gained prominence upon the completion of the Beirut–Damascus Railway in the mid-1890s.
The railroad provided the residents of Beirut easy means of transportation to the mountains,
and this made Aley a popular destination to spend the summer months and enjoy its pleasant climate.
It was the site of a serious accident on 12 April 1904, when part of the locomotive exploded and the train fell
backwards down the 7% grade, killing 8 and seriously injuring another

The city was for a while the summer capital of the Ottoman governors of Mount Lebanon
Kamil Pasha made Aley his capital and organised a Diwan,
later used by Djemal Pasha where he executed a large number of Lebanese and Syrian Arab nationalists
who sought independence from the Ottomans. Also, a Jewish community once frequented this multi-cultural city,
and they maintained a synagogue in Souk Aley, but it has since been abandoned. In 2001,
the municipality of Aley began renovating the downtown area, especially its historic souk,
and the city quickly revived its role in Lebanon’s tourism.

The word “Aley” means “high place” in Arabic and in Aramaic, referring to the city’s
high altitude above sea level (from 600m up to 950m).

Aley is a major tourist destination in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Its location and climate made it a favorable venue for shopping and dining,
especially for wealthy Arabs from Persian Gulf states. This resort city
with its increasing number of tourists and visitors has become the most
flourishing resort in Mount Lebanon, and thus has garnered its historical name as “The Bride of Summers”.
The “Souk Aley” is a relatively long historical boulevard lined with palm trees; there are numerous redroofed
stone houses erected on the east side of the street while several street cafes, outdoor restaurants,
And nightlife pubs occupy its western side. In addition to these,
there are tens of antique shops and retail boutiques along the street, which forms the heart of Aley.
Aley also hosts a well-known casino and many public swimming pools like the Piscine Aley, Country Club and Heritage.
There’s also many hotels like the Highland and the Golden Tulip that has a bowling arena and a public swimming pool
and spa. There’s also malls in Aley like the Aley Center, and many Lebanese and international restaurants.

In 1910 Aley received the founders of the American University of Beirut (AUB),
they built castles and lived there for several years. During the 1960s
several artists performed in the hotels and the casinos of Aley such as
Umm Kulthum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab and Farid Al Atrash.

Aley is the capital of the Aley District and it has 18 municipality members
In 2009 the municipality joined the Yasa in a safety program to reduce the rate of accidents.