Heritage with Related Tags
Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih)
The Archaeological Site of Al-Hijr (Madâin Sâlih) is the first site in Saudi Arabia to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. Formerly known as Hegra, Al-Hijr is the best-preserved site of the Nabatean civilization south of Petra in Jordan. The site is rich in historical remains, including: large, well-preserved tombs with elaborately decorated facades dating from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD. The site also has about 50 pre-Nabataean inscriptions and some cave paintings. Al-Hijr is a unique testimony to the Nabatean civilization. With its 111 monumental, elaborately decorated tombs and wells, the site is an outstanding example of the Nabatean architectural achievements and hydraulic expertise.
Ḥimā Cultural Area
The Hima cultural area is located in the arid mountains of southwestern Saudi Arabia, on one of the ancient caravan routes of the Arabian Peninsula, and contains a rich collection of rock art depicting hunting, animals, plants and lifestyles over 7,000 years of cultural continuity. Throughout the ages, until the end of the 20th century, travelers and armies camped at the site left behind a large number of rock inscriptions and petroglyphs, most of which are well preserved. The inscriptions are written in different scripts, including Musnad, Aramaic-Nabataean, South Arabian, Taimudic, Greek and Arabic. The property and its buffer zone also contain a rich collection of unexcavated archaeological resources, including cairns, stone structures, tombs, scattered stone tools and ancient wells. The site is the oldest known toll station on an important ancient desert caravan route, and the Bi'r Ḥimā well here is at least 3,000 years old and still produces fresh water.
Monastery of Saint Hilarion / Tel Um Amer
<p>The Monastery of Saint Hilarion / Tell Umm Amer is located in the coastal dunes of Nusayret. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East, dating back to the 4th century AD. It was founded by Saint Hilarion and gradually developed from a place for hermit monks to a collective monastic community, becoming the first monastic community in the "Holy Land" and laying the foundation for the spread of monastic customs in the local area. The monastery is located at the intersection of many trade and transportation routes in the Asian and African continents. Its superior geographical location makes it a hub for religious, cultural and economic exchanges, and an example of the thriving desert monastic centers in the Byzantine period. </p>
Ancient City of Damascus
Founded in the third millennium BC, Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. In the Middle Ages, it was a thriving craft center specializing in swords and lace. The city has 125 monuments from different historical periods, the most spectacular of which is the 8th-century Umayyad Great Mosque, built on the site of an Assyrian temple.
Hatra
Hatra was a large fortified city, influenced by the Parthian Empire and the capital of the first Arab kingdom. With its high, thick walls and fortified towers, the city of Hatra resisted Roman invasions in 116 and 198 AD. The remains of the city, especially the temples, which combine Greek and Roman architectural styles with oriental decorative features, testify to the greatness of its civilization.
Palmeral of Elche
The Palmeraie of Elche is a date palm grove that was formally planned and equipped with a complex irrigation system at the time of the founding of the Muslim city of Elche, when much of the Iberian Peninsula was Arab. The palms are an oasis and a system of agricultural production in arid regions. It is also a unique example of Arab agricultural practice in continental Europe. Date palm cultivation in Elche has been known since at least Iberian times, dating back to approximately the fifth century BC.