A new master plan for Saudi Arabia’s AlUla aims to address the needs and interests of the local community

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AlUla lies just 20km south of Hegra, the city of the Nabataean civilisation that in 2008 became Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site. (Royal Commission for AlUla)
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Updated 13 October 2023
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A new master plan for Saudi Arabia’s AlUla aims to address the needs and interests of the local community

  • “Path to Prosperity” addresses all aspects of urban life, increasing share of land for housing, municipal services and leisure
  • Royal Commission for AlUla says the blueprint will enable community development with new employment and business opportunities

LONDON: Residents of AlUla, a once isolated community in the mountainous Madinah region of western Saudi Arabia that is now at the center of one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious tourist projects, have been offered a glimpse of a new masterplan designed to transform the quality of life and boost employment prospects in the town.

AlUla, a town of two halves, shaped by geography and strung out over 10km along a narrow valley framed by mountains, lies just 20km south of Hegra, the city of the Nabataean civilisation that in 2008 became Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site.

In 2017 the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established to protect and safeguard the multiple heritage assets in the area, including the 130-plus Nabataean tombs carved out of the rocks surrounding the ancient lost city.




AlUla South, which will see the first phase of development, will be the new regional capital and heart of county administration. (RCU)

At the same time, it was charged with developing a plan to transform the entire region in a sensitive, sustainable way, “reaffirming it as one of country’s most important archaeological and cultural destinations and preparing it to welcome visitors from around the world.”

As part of that ambition the RCU has always been focused first and foremost on the needs and interests of the local community, and the new Path to Prosperity masterplan, unveiled to residents this month in an exhibition in the town’s Alfareed shopping mall, is the latest manifestation of that commitment.

“AlUla is entering a new phase of its comprehensive regeneration, boosting prosperity and enhancing quality of life for our community,” said Eng. Sultan AlKhuraissi, the RCU’s chief of county operations.

“The masterplan will transform AlUla’s urban core and enable community development with new economic opportunities and businesses, and new healthcare services, schools and parks.”

He added: “Path to Prosperity is a blueprint for a thriving future that honors our globally significant cultural and natural heritage.”

The town is divided naturally by the landscape into two halves, and the masterplan envisages different roles for AlUla Central and AlUla South.




Open public spaces and vibrant communities:
‘Inviting and attractive public spaces will provide room for recreation, pleasure, exercise, and play, acting as urban meeting places for a variety of people and fostering a vibrant community with new opportunities.’




Have everything a short stroll away:
‘A walking network that connects destinations with shaded promenades will create the opportunity to comfortably walk between home and amenities.’




See the natural colors of AlUla from your rooftop:
‘Enjoy AlUla at all times of the year from the comfort of your rooftop terrace, whether it’s a sunny day or under the night sky covered with shining stars.’

AlUla South, which will see the first phase of development, will be the new regional capital and heart of county administration, with a mix of businesses, retail, offices, restaurants and entertainment at its core.

AlUla Central will be “a thriving centre and a meeting place for visitors and residents alike,” with improved open spaces, and medical and education facilities.

Designed to transform AlUla for the benefit of its rapidly expanding population, the masterplan is revisiting all aspects of urban life, as a blueprint for increased land use for housing, new municipal services, entertainment, leisure, and cultural facilities in purpose-built neighborhoods.

FASTFACTS

• The master plan addresses all aspects of urban life, increasing the share of land for housing, municipal services, leisure, and culture.

• AlUla South will be the new regional capital and heart of county administration, with a mix of retail, offices, restaurants, and entertainment.

• AlUla Central will become a thriving center and meeting place for visitors and residents with open spaces and medical and education facilities.

“Path to Prosperity,” added AlKhuraissi, “has been launched with a clear focus – to elevate and enhance our community’s quality of life in AlUla Central and South. It will boost economic opportunities, train and upskill our community, and provide quality education, healthcare, and transport services.”

The plan aims to ensure that AlUla’s unique cultural heritage “will be preserved and promoted through the creation of new and reimagined community spaces, including unique district and community parks.”




“The masterplan will transform AlUla’s urban core and enable community development,” said Sultan AlKhuraissi,  the RCU’s chief of county operations.

Preserving the region’s heritage extends to ensuring that all future development will be in keeping. Local residents and architects are being offered the services of the AlUla Design Studio, a team of highly skilled urban planning professionals who will provide free building design advice to help people to design new homes, or extend and restore existing ones.

In addition to encouraging imaginative building projects, the studio will ensure that building designs “are of the necessary quality and integrate into the urban and natural landscapes of the region,” in order to meet the required standards to receive a building permit.

Such is the attention to detail being applied to the masterplan for AlUla that a set of strict architectural guidelines have been developed to ensure that all development is “in harmony with AlUla’s landscape and natural beauty.”

“Inspiration for the guidelines has been taken from the building practices of traditional homes of AlUla,” said a spokesperson for the AlUla Design Studio.

These include characteristics such as the use of shaded inner courtyards to improve ventilation, increased use of natural light, creation of private outdoor space, and the use of colors and materials that compliment AlUla’s natural landscape, while commercial properties will be set back from the street to create more space for walking.

The rebirth of AlUla
Hegra, ancient city of the Nabataeans in Saudi Arabia’s historic AlUla Valley, is emerging from the mists of time to take its rightful place as one of the wonders of the world

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Built by hand, rooted in history: National Historical Palace in Taif is one man’s tribute to Saudi heritage and Islamic history

Updated 11 May 2025
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Built by hand, rooted in history: National Historical Palace in Taif is one man’s tribute to Saudi heritage and Islamic history

  • Built by Majid Al-Thabiti, the site blends Islamic history with contemporary design, rooted in the symbolism of the number seven
  • Spanning 70,000 sq. meters, the palace features seven museums, seven facades, seven gates and almost 7 million stones cut and laid by the man himself

MAKKAH: In the heart of Wadi Qarn in Taif governorate, one man’s vision has resulted in one of Saudi Arabia’s most striking heritage landmarks: the National Historical Palace for Islamic Civilization.

Built by Majid Al-Thabiti, the site blends Islamic history with contemporary design, rooted in the symbolism of the number seven.

In an interview with Arab News, Al-Thabiti said: “The number symbolizes perfection and completeness in several Qur’anic verses, including the seven heavens, the seven earths and the seven shaded by God in his shadow, among others.”

The palace includes flooring adorned with colored stones and inspired by the historical art of Sadu, an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.  (SPA)

The project was born out of Al-Thabiti’s strong will. He believed in his dream and devoted his effort, time and energy to bring it to life.

Spanning 70,000 sq. meters, the palace features seven museums, seven facades, seven gates and almost 7 million stones cut and laid by the man himself.

The museums offer distinct cultural and education experiences. Exhibits cover Islamic architecture, local heritage, plastic arts and sculpture, rare collections, astronomy, military history documenting the unification of the Kingdom and an agricultural museum featuring seeds mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.

The palace includes 600 square meters of flooring adorned with colored stones and inspired by the historical art of Sadu, an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.

Al-Thabiti said that he personally cuts, shapes and stacks the stones himself. “The manual labor is what gives the project its true spirit, as every corner bears (my) imprint, effort and dedication,” he added.

He used seven types of stone sourced from across Saudi Arabia, including basalt, quartz and shale. His attention to detail is reflected in features such as hand-shaped facades, floor mosaics inspired by Sadu art and stonework colored in seven hues that mirror the Kingdom’s geological diversity.

Majid Al-Thabiti used seven types of stone sourced from across Saudi Arabia, including basalt, quartz and shale. (SPA)

Highlights at the palace include an Abbasid-style minaret with a water fountain in honor of Zubaida, the wife of Harun Al-Rashid; an observatory used to track the crescent moon; and stone engravings of Saudi megaprojects like NEOM and The Line.

The site also includes engravings on stone of the Kingdom’s military vehicles, such as a fighter jet and ship.

Al-Thabiti also built a 700-meter sports track along the banks of Qarn valley, a stable for purebred Arabian horses, as well as replicas of symbolic gates like Makkah Gate, Taif Gate and King Abdulaziz Islamic Gate, with stones from Mounts Al-Nur, Thawr and Uhud. Other exhibits, like Diriyah and Yawm Badina (The Day We Began), commemorate key moments in Saudi history.

According to Al-Thabiti, his goal is to transform the palace into a cultural and educational destination that celebrates the Kingdom’s history and heritage.

“We possess a great civilizational legacy and a deep-rooted history. It is our duty to present it to the world in the finest way. This palace is the beginning,” he said.
 


Ancient terrace farming technique shapes Asir’s agricultural heritage

Updated 11 May 2025
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Ancient terrace farming technique shapes Asir’s agricultural heritage

  • Together, the thumalah and mughayyid systems stand as a testament to early innovation sustaining life in one of Saudi Arabia’s most challenging landscapes

 

RIYADH: For centuries, the people of Saudi Arabia’s Asir region have cultivated food on steep mountain slopes using stone terracing systems.

They began with the construction of stone retaining walls known locally as “thamayil,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Each individual wall, called “thumalah,” is anchored into bedrock and can rise two to six meters in height.

They serve as critical infrastructure for mountain agriculture by creating level growing surfaces on otherwise impossible terrain.

Each individual wall, called “thumalah,” is anchored into bedrock and can rise two to six meters in height. (SPA)

“The thumalah represents a stone containment system designed to capture sloping mountain terrain,” Ahmed Al-Bariqi, an architectural heritage researcher, said in an interview with the SPA. “After building the stone barrier, the enclosed space is filled with a mixture of clay, soil and rocks to create a flat, arable surface suitable for both farming and habitation.”

Local builders adapted to their surroundings, often reinforcing these structures with juniper and sidr tree trunks, as well as massive stones to withstand the pressure of heavy seasonal rains.

Water management is equally sophisticated. The “mughayyid” regulates irrigation and controls flooding by channeling water flow between terraced fields.

The “mughayyid” regulates irrigation and controls flooding by channeling water flow between terraced fields. (SPA)

“Ancient builders displayed remarkable engineering precision in the mughayyid’s construction,” Al-Bariqi has said in his book “Antiquities and Heritage in Bariq Governorate.”

He added: “Square or elongated stones formed the base structure, while carefully polished flat stones were placed at the top, precisely leveled to allow water to flow at calculated rates between terraces.”

Positioned at strategic elevations, the mughayyid retains optimal water volumes while preventing destructive flooding that could compromise the entire terrace system.

Terraces were reinforced by stone retaining walls known locally as “thamayil.” (SPA)

These terraces do more than support agriculture. According to Dr. Ghaithan bin Jurais of King Khalid University, they reflect a deep-rooted civilization in Asir dating back thousands of years.

“These structures preserve soil resources, establish clear property boundaries between neighboring farms, and historically served as recognized markers of family and tribal land ownership,” he said.

Together, the thumalah and mughayyid systems stand as a testament to early innovation sustaining life in one of Saudi Arabia’s most challenging landscapes.
 


Saudi, British foreign ministers discuss regional and international developments

Updated 10 May 2025
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Saudi, British foreign ministers discuss regional and international developments

  • Two ministers also discussed Saudi-UK relations

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday spoke with his British counterpart David Lammy, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two ministers discussed Saudi-UK relations, as well as regional and international developments and the efforts being made in this regard, SPA added.

The call came on the same day as Prince Faisal's meeting with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah.


Saudi minister meets with UNIDO director-general

Updated 11 May 2025
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Saudi minister meets with UNIDO director-general

During his official visit to Denmark this weekend, Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef met with Gerd Muller, the director-general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

The Saudi Press Agency reported that the two men “discussed ways to deepen the strategic partnership between the Kingdom and the organization in a way that supports the goals of sustainable industrial development.”

Alkhorayef also held bilateral meetings with leaders of several leading Danish companies in the industry and mining sectors, according to the SPA, to discuss “joint investment opportunities, as well as the incentives offered by the Kingdom to investors.”


Crown prince holds phone calls with King of Bahrain, Emir of Kuwait

Updated 10 May 2025
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Crown prince holds phone calls with King of Bahrain, Emir of Kuwait

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke on the phone with King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

During the calls, the crown prince reviewed relations between the Kingdom and Bahrain and Kuwait, SPA added. 

They also discussed a number of issues of common interest.