Ashayqer Heritage Village

Ashayqer Heritage Village is a historic village located in the Riyadh Region, about 200 km north-west of the capital, Riyadh; it is known for its mud-brick buildings and palm oases.[2]

The history of the village goes back more than 600 years, as recorded in the documents kept by residents that date a large number of endowments, mosques and dwellings.[2] The village contains more than 500 buildings that residents are working to restore, which has made it a destination for heritage tourism.[1]

The village received the Prince Sultan bin Salman Award for Architectural Heritage, in recognition of the civil and official efforts to safeguard its heritage architecture.[1]

Ashayqer Heritage Village lies in Shaqra Governorate in the Riyadh Region, about 200 km north-west of the capital, Riyadh, and is surrounded by stretches of palm oases and orchards.[2][3]

The buildings of the village are constructed of mud, and its palm oases contain a heritage restaurant that represents one part of the village experience for the visitor.[2]

Ashayqer Heritage Village is distinguished by the beauty of its heritage architecture, which includes heritage landmarks, popular markets, private museums, mud-brick houses, old neighbourhoods, alleyways and covered passages, heritage sitting rooms and historic mosques; stops on a visit to it include the old market, Bayt Abu Omar, which was the first formal school in the governorate, Al-Filqah Mosque and the kuttabs, the Bayt Al-Shunaibar heritage house, Dar Al-Turath and the Hamad Al-Salem Museum.[4][8]

Residents are working to restore more than 500 buildings in the village in order to preserve its heritage architectural character.[1]

Ashayqer town in Shaqra Governorate hosts scholarly and cultural events, among them the fifth scientific symposium in the series of the Flags of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia programme, organised by the King Abdulaziz Foundation.[3]

Among the notable figures of Ashayqer is the historian Sheikh Ibrahim bin Saleh bin Isa (1270–1343 AH), who was born and raised in the village, received his early education there, and wrote his books and held his first lessons within it.[3]

Old Ashayqer opens its gates to visitors during the Eid al-Fitr holiday and hosts a heritage festival that runs from the third day of Eid until the fifth.[2] The governorate has seen the seventh Festival of Productive Families, organised by the governorate's Social Development Committee, which included 50 stalls for the work of productive families.[4]

The events of 'Shaqra and Ashayqer, Heritage of Our Forefathers' were launched with the support of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, and included more than 30 heritage events and activities for all members of the family over four days, from 13 to 16 December 2018, in the Riyadh Region.[5] Ashayqer Heritage Village hosts the 'Live the Heritage' events, which embody village life, heritage museums, folk shows and arts, the tales of grandparents, village weddings and building in mud, alongside displays of farming, agriculture and harvesting, traditional buying and selling, heritage caravans, traditional wedding displays and folk games.[5]

The heritage village also hosted the events of the 'Youth Tourism and Nation' festival, organised by the General Presidency for Youth Welfare in cooperation with the Ashayqer Sports Club, which continued until 21 Safar 1436 AH.[9]

Heritage events continue in the two villages of Shaqra and Ashayqer amid the presence of thousands of visitors and tourists, both citizens and residents from Europe, Asia and the Arab world.[6] The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage organised a tourism trip for a number of male and female media professionals and opinion writers to the heritage and historical sites of the villages of Shaqra and Ashayqer.[7]

Investors, media professionals and government officials viewed the promising investment opportunities in the heritage villages, rural rest houses and agricultural inns that the tourism route in the north of the Riyadh Region comprises.[10]

The village received a number of participants in the First International Conference on Architectural Heritage in Islamic Countries, as part of the tourism trips organised by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities.[1] His Excellency the Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the United Nations described the two heritage villages of Shaqra and Ashayqer as having become a prominent tourist landmark in the Riyadh Region.[8]

Q: Where is Ashayqer Heritage Village located? A: In Shaqra Governorate in the Riyadh Region, about 200 km north-west of the capital, Riyadh.[2][3]

Q: What is Ashayqer Heritage Village best known for? A: Its mud-brick buildings and palm oases, and its heritage landmarks: popular markets, private museums, mud-brick houses, old neighbourhoods, alleyways and covered passages, heritage sitting rooms and historic mosques.[2][8]

Q: How many buildings does the village contain? A: More than 500 buildings that residents are working to restore.[1]

Q: What award did the village receive? A: The Prince Sultan bin Salman Award for Architectural Heritage.[1]

Q: When does the village open to visitors? A: During the Eid al-Fitr holiday, when it hosts a heritage festival from the third day of Eid until the fifth.[2]

Ashayqer Heritage Village hosts heritage and cultural events throughout the year that bring together mud-brick architecture, rural life and local products.[5][6] Related topics on the platform include Dhi Ain Village, AlUla Old Town, Al-Ahsa Oasis and History of Diriyah, and it is linked to the city of Riyadh City.