7 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Al-Ula, The Living Museum of Ancient Arab Civilizations

Al-Ula oasis is located in the lush Wadi Al-Qura, or “valley of villages”, about 110 km southwest of the modern city of Tayma and 380 km north of Medina.

Al-Ula was the capital of the ancient Lihyanites (Dedanites). Located in the Medina region of Saudi Arabia, the city contains the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The walled city of Al-Ula, an oasis in the desert valley city with its fertile lands and abundant water was founded in the 6th century BC. It was located on the “Incense Road”, a network of roads that facilitated the trade of spices, silk, and other luxury goods through Arabia, Egypt, and India.

Al Ula Raven Kayası
Al-Ula Raven Rock

Al-Ula stands where the biblical city of Dedan is located. But was founded during the ancient Lihyan Kingdom of Northern Arabia, which ruled between the 5th and 2nd century BC. The history of the oasis is divided into several chapters.

The Kingdom of Dedan is mentioned in the Harran inscriptions. Al-Ula has become the most important settlement in the region until modern times. The Ottoman Empire built the Hejaz railway between 1901-1908 to connect Medina and Damascus. The railroad has main stations in both Mada’s Salih (Hegra) and Al-Ula.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



The area has an incredibly rich heritage with numerous archaeological sites dotting the landscape.

Al-Ula is described as a mirror of the ancient world civilizations in the Arabian Peninsula. Research has uncovered a civilization that is more than 200,000 years old at the same location along the ancient incense trade route from the south of the Peninsula to the north. Al-Ula is a tourist destination for all visitors from various parts of the world interested in archeology, nature, arts, and culture.

Visitors can enjoy a thrilling experience in the site, which has recorded the highest record in the archaeological world, containing 5,000 inscriptions carved into the rocks on Mount Ikmah, as well as 111 archaeological tombs that house 94 carved tombs.

The vertical sandstone cliffs surrounding Al-Ula provide large surfaces for rock art, making Al-Ula the richest petroglyph site in the Kingdom. Ar-Ruzeiqiah is a mountain in the southern part of Al-Ula with a large petroglyph panel with hundreds of pictures, including depictions of hunting scenes with humans and various animals.

Jebel-Khawail-Al-Ula
Jebel Khawail, Al-Ula

The best times of the year to visit Al-Ula are between October and April. During this period, the city enjoys a mild climate with temperatures ranging from 10 to 25 degrees Celsius. The period from May to September witnesses high temperatures ranging from 20-35 degrees Celsius.

Ikmah Mountain is full of archaeological inscriptions from the dawn of Arab civilization as well as writings and inscriptions from other civilizations and is called the “Open Library”.

Mada in salih
Mada’s Saleh was known as El Hijr or Hegra by the Nabataean people who carved their magnificent tombs into golden Quweira sandstone ledges. The fine details in the entrance portals and the smooth surfaces of the 111 tomb facades reflect the great ingenuity of the masters of their time.

In addition to the green oasis in Al-Ula, there are various rock formations in different areas, making the site a special place for nature lovers. Al-Ula is also a home for many plants and animals.

The importance of Al-Ula as an archaeological and historical site led to the establishment of the Al-Ula Royal Commission (RCU) in July 2017, whose purpose was to develop and promote Al-Ula as an international tourism destination. The main purpose of the institution is to carry out studies related to the promotion and development of this place.

Source: 1-https://www.experiencealula.com/en/discover-alula/heritage

2- http://saudi-archaeology.com/sites/al-ula

3-Al-Ula old town picture belongs to Pteropus Conspicillatus.

Related Articles

300-Year-Old Sacred Mummified Mermaid From Japan’s Mystery Solved

20 February 2023

20 February 2023

A mummified mermaid has been worshiped in Japan for centuries because locals believe it has healing powers. However, upon closer...

How Was the Life of Teenager in Ancient Times?

1 March 2021

1 March 2021

Youth is the same in every era. Not so hard to guess. How was your life as a teenager? You...

World’s First Air Conditioners “Windcatchers”

23 May 2021

23 May 2021

The Persians invented Air Conditioning! Although it should be noted that this is 500 CE, this is the first time...

Explore 1,400-year-old ruins, submerged in Eastern China – Atlantis of China

10 June 2023

10 June 2023

Deep in Qiandao Lake, between China’s Five Lion Mountains, lie the mysterious ruins of two ancient cities, dating back to...

People knew how to make bread 14,400 years ago

15 May 2022

15 May 2022

Archaeological finds in Jordan’s Black Desert show that humans used stone ovens to bake bread 14,400 years ago. Researchers have...

‘Dinosaur dance floor’ dating back 80 million years found in China

20 April 2021

20 April 2021

In China, researchers have found many dinosaur footprints in an area of 1,600 square meters described in the literature as...

The Enchanting Ancient City of Rome “Sagalassos”

18 May 2021

18 May 2021

The archaeological site of Sagalassos is a very important and well-preserved settlement located in a magnificent mountain landscape, 7 km north...

The Most Important Works of Achaemenid Persian Metalwork “Oxus Treasure”

21 May 2021

21 May 2021

The Oxus Treasure is a collection of 180 precious metal objects unearthed on the north bank of the Oxus River...

Historical Beauties of Turkmenistan

10 May 2021

10 May 2021

Turkmenistan is a nation with a big history and terrain in central Asia, surrounded by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iran,...

Iconic Double Arch collapsed after an ancient pyramid in America, Tribes Link Fall With ‘Bad Omen’

10 August 2024

10 August 2024

Two ancient North American structures collapsed within just nine days of one another. The iconic Double Arch, also known as...

“Land of the Thousand Temples” Kancheepuram in India

20 May 2021

20 May 2021

Kancheepuram, one of the most sacred and religious Hindu pilgrim centers in India is also called the ‘Land of the...

Georgian churches of Artvin, Turkey’s natural wonder city

6 April 2022

6 April 2022

Artvin is a city in northeastern Turkey about 30 km inland from the Black Sea. It is located on a...

Istanbul’s Iron Church of Unique Beauty

1 November 2021

1 November 2021

The Bulgarian Church of St. Stephens was constructed like a cross-shaped Basilica. St. Stephen Church is also known as The...

The Historical Building Next To The Million Stone Will Sell

6 February 2021

6 February 2021

Everyone has heard of the Million Stone, which was built during the Byzantine Empire and accepted as the zero points...

The sunken city of God Krishna “Dwarka”

18 May 2022

18 May 2022

The legendary capital of Hindu god Lord Krishna, Dwarka is today one of the most famous submerged ancient cities underwater....