Centuries-old Saudi mosques undergo historic restoration ahead of tourism reopening

Published 23 Sep,2020 via Asharq Alawsat (English Edition) - The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) announced on Tuesday that it is in the final stages of restoration work on the centuries-old Hamad Bin Yunus and AlZawiyah mosques in AlUla Old Town. For over 800 years a stopping point for pilgrims to Makkah and situated near the ancient earlier spice and incense trade routes, the town was only abandoned in the early 1980s.

Now, AlUla Old Town is undergoing restoration and conservation efforts by RCU as part of a wider effort to share and celebrate its over 200,000 years of human heritage with the world as it prepares to responsibly reopen for tourism next month. This heritage includes the Nabataean tombs of Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage inscribed site.

Dr. Abdulrahman AlSuhaibani, Consultant for Archaeology and Heritage at RCU, said: “From pre-historic burial sites to the cutting edge Maraya venue, and from pre-Islamic Kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan to the Islamic Old Town, we’re excited to celebrate and share the cultural oasis that is AlUla with the world.”