Old Town, Al-Ula
The Old Town (Al-Ula)
البلدة القديمة (العلا) | |
|---|---|
 Al-Ula old town | |
  The Old Town (Al-Ula) | |
| Coordinates: 26°37′N 37°55′E / 26.617°N 37.917°E | |
| Country |  Saudi Arabia |
| region | al-Madinah |
The Old Town is an archaeological site near al-‘Ulā, Medina Province, Saudi Arabia.[1] It is known as al-Dirah (Arabic: دِيرَة, romanized: dīrah, lit. 'town'). Inside al-Dīrah are ancient heritage buildings, mosques(masjid), and markets, dating back about seven centuries,[2] currently under restoration development.[3] This town is 22 kilometres (14 mi) away from Hegra.[4] The heritage town looks like a single building due to the crowding of its 870 residential units. These units are separated by narrow and winding alleys. The town is divided into two districts: al-Shqīq in the north and al-Ḥilf in the south.[5]
Remaining monuments (archeological sites)
[edit]- Mousa Bin Nusayr castle.
- Tantora which was a guide for farmers to know the growing seasons and the timing of water distribution.
- The sundial clock in the south of the town.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Heritage Sites in Al-'Ula, Saudi Arabia | ExperienceAl-'Ula.com". experiencealula.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
- ^ "About Al-'Ula". www.winterattantora.com. Archived from the original on 2019-07-30. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
- ^ "France to help build a 'new Petra' in Saudi Arabia with estimated $20bn development deal". www.theartnewspaper.com.
- ^ "Winter at Tantora Festival: See Al-'Ula's Culture Come to Life". experiencealula.com.
- ^ Battesti, V., & Marty, L. (2023). Bedouins and Sedentaries today in al-‘Ulâ (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia): Al-diyâr and al-Dîra in the rear-view mirror. Arabian Humanities, 17. https://doi.org/10.4000/cy.10103