Abha City

Abha City is a Saudi city in the Asir region of south-western Saudi Arabia, combining a mountainous setting with the cultural and social heritage expressed in its traditional markets, heritage villages and historic houses. [3][7]

Abha is a prominent tourism destination in the Kingdom, having been chosen as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2017; it holds cultural and creative assets, foremost among them Al-Muftaha Village and its theatre, alongside its mountain parks and seasonal festivals. [5][7][9]

The Green Mountain lies in the centre of Abha City, and its elevation has made it a destination for visitors to enjoy the open air and the sweeping view over the city. [14]

Along the Abha ring road lies Abu Khayal Park, which overlooks the city from the south; these elevated viewpoints are bound up with the mountainous nature of the Asir region. [14]

Asir National Park lies in the south-western part of Saudi Arabia and is the first of its kind in the Kingdom. It was established to preserve natural resources, given the remarkable ecological character of the Asir region: its towering mountains of volcanic and metamorphic rock known as the Arabian Shield, and its dense and varied forest. [9]

The Tuesday Market, which stands in the centre of Abha City, carries great symbolic weight and importance for the people of the Asir region in historical, cultural, social and economic terms, and its name has passed down the generations among residents and visitors for nearly 200 years. [2][3]

The cultural and social heritage of Abha City is embodied in its traditional markets, heritage villages and historic houses; the Tuesday Market and Al-Muftaha Village are among its most prominent examples, and Al-Muftaha Village is one of the most beautiful tourist villages in the Kingdom and one of its most important cultural and creative centres. [5][7]

Al-Muftaha Village in Abha City reaches back hundreds of years, and it draws lovers of heritage and fine arts, photography, crafts and handicrafts. [5]

In 2019 the Ministry of Culture began the procedures for taking over the village, in implementation of a royal order transferring responsibility for its supervision, operation and maintenance to the Ministry, under a joint framework with the relevant official bodies, including the Emirate of the Asir Region, the Asir Region Development Authority and the Public Investment Fund. [6]

Al-Muftaha also holds the Al-Muftaha Theatre, one of the largest theatres in the Kingdom with 3,500 seats, which hosts the region's celebrations each year. It has likewise hosted the tenth Abha Book and Computer Fair, organised by King Khalid University in cooperation with Obeikan Library at the King Fahd Cultural Centre in Al-Muftaha. [6][12]

Abha City was chosen as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2017 by the committee of experts of the Arab Tourism Organization of the League of Arab States, capping ten years of sustained work and effort to make Abha the jewel of summer resorts. [7][8]

The Asir cable car cabins carry more than 1,000 people per hour between the towering Sarawat mountains and the warm lowlands of Tihama, making it one of the most prominent elements of the city's tourism experience. [4]

The city hosted the Abha Summer Festival 2022 under the title "Above the Mountains" in the Sama Abha area, with events running until 24 September, and it also hosted the first Bee and Honey Festival in 1435 AH, with the participation of 26 beekeepers from across the regions of the Kingdom. [10][11]

Abha Airport sees active passenger traffic: the total number of passengers in 2018 reached 4,428,388, an increase of 18%. [1]

As part of developing the road network within the city, the project for the interchange of the King Abdulaziz Ring Road with Al-Dabab district in Abha City was built, known as the Al-Dabab Tunnel. [13]

Q: Where is Abha City located? A: In the Asir region of south-western Saudi Arabia. [2]

Q: What is Abha City known for? A: Its tourism and cultural assets and its popular heritage; it contains the Tuesday Market, Al-Muftaha Village and Asir National Park. [3][5][9]

Q: What is its most prominent traditional market? A: The Tuesday Market in the centre of Abha City; its history reaches back nearly 200 years, and it holds historical, cultural, social and economic importance for the people of the Asir region. [2][3]

Q: What is Al-Muftaha Village? A: A village whose history reaches back hundreds of years; it is one of the most important cultural and creative centres in the Kingdom and contains the Al-Muftaha Theatre, which seats 3,500. [5][6]

Q: What is the most prominent tourism event associated with Abha City? A: Its selection as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2017 by the committee of experts of the Arab Tourism Organization of the League of Arab States. [7][8]

Abha City combines its mountainous setting in the Asir region with the tourism assets that earned it the title of Arab Tourism Capital for 2017, and the cultural heritage represented by the Tuesday Market, Al-Muftaha Village and Asir National Park. [5][7][9]

Related topics on the platform include the Asir Region, the Sarawat Mountains, Al-Muftaha Village, Rijal Almaa Village and Jabal Al-Sawda.