Overview
Rijal Almaa Village, also known as Rijal, is a heritage village located 45 km west of the city of Abha in the mountainous Asir Region of southwestern Saudi Arabia.[1] Its cultural heritage and history span nearly 900 years.[1]
Location and Architectural Composition
Heritage Status and Global Inscription Efforts
The village is on the Tentative List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under the name "Rijal Almaa Heritage Village in Assir Region", where it has been listed since 2015.[2]
The Tentative List comprises 14 Saudi sites, while the World Heritage List comprises eight Saudi sites; the village is on the Tentative List and has not yet been inscribed on the World Heritage List.[2]
In 2015, the village was among a list of ten sites that the higher authorities approved for inscription on the World Heritage List in the following years.[3]
In October 2018, the requirements for inscription were completed on schedule, before the launch of the evaluation process by the UNESCO technical committee.[4]
An expert of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) completed a field visit to the Asir Region to follow up on the inscription requirements, which included inspecting the village, its museum, its heritage houses and its four quarters: Ash-Shu'bah, Al-Kadha, An-Nasb and Manazir.[5]
Restoration and Awards
The first phase of the village's restoration covered 16 forts, with the work to be completed with 40 forts and the pathways by the end of 2019.[6]
In 2017, all 16 of the village's forts were restored.[1]
The village's restoration project won first place in the Arab Towns Award in the "Architectural Heritage" category, and the result was announced in the Qatari capital, Doha, in March 2017.[6]
In the same year, the village received the Prince Sultan bin Salman Award for Urban Heritage and the Arab Towns Award "Mudun".[1]
Selection Among the World's Best Tourism Villages
The United Nations World Tourism Organization included the village of Rijal, in Rijal Almaa Governorate, in the "Best Tourism Villages in the World" list, at an official ceremony held in Madrid on 2 December 2021.[1]
The village was chosen from among 175 participating destinations representing 75 countries, after a nomination file prepared by the Ministry of Culture, represented by the Heritage Commission, and the Ministry of Tourism.[1]
The Museum and Tourism Services
The village museum is located inside one of its buildings, which has six storeys; it houses photographs, artworks and archaeological artefacts and serves as a centre for the arts and historical works.[1]
The village offers tourism services that include heritage accommodation under the name "Nuzul Al-Husun Al-Turathiyah", the first six-storey stone hotel inn, equipped with heritage restaurants.[7]
The village opens its doors to visitors from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and includes an eastern trail 600 metres long and a heritage market on an area of more than 300 square metres.[7]
Over thirty years, the village has drawn more than one million visitors at a rate of more than 400 visitors a day.[7]
Events and Intangible Heritage
The village hosts a range of heritage events, including the annual Rijal Almaa Heritage Village Forum and the Rijal Almaa summer events.[8]
The 93rd National Day celebrations in 2023 included the Al-Damma and Al-Khatwa arts and a mural depicting the Al-Qatt Al-Asiri art.[8]
The Asir Region contains more than 4,000 heritage villages.[9]
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where is Rijal Almaa Village located? A: It is located 45 km west of the city of Abha in the mountainous Asir Region of southwestern Saudi Arabia.[1]
Q: How old is the village? A: Its cultural heritage and history span nearly 900 years.[1]
Q: What are the village's most prominent buildings and facilities? A: It consists of 60 multi-storey palaces built of natural mud stone and wood, and the village museum is located in a six-storey building, alongside the "Nuzul Al-Husun Al-Turathiyah" heritage inn, the eastern trail and the heritage market.[1][7]
Q: What is the village's standing at the global level? A: It has been on the UNESCO Tentative List since 2015 and was chosen in 2021 as one of the world's best tourism villages.[2][1]
Q: What are the village's opening hours for visitors? A: It opens from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.[7]
Conclusion
The village combines 60 palaces of mud stone and wood and an urban heritage spanning nearly nine centuries, along with its museum, its tourism services and its standing on the UNESCO Tentative List.[1][2][7]
Related topics on the platform include Al-Muftaha Village in Abha and Darb Zubaydah.
Tourism and nature
- TourismAl-Muftaha VillageA heritage village in Abha that has been a cultural centre for traditional and visual arts since the early 1990s, with the King Fahd Cultural Centre and the Talal Maddah Theatre.
- NatureJabal Al-SawdaThe Kingdom's highest peak at 3,015 m, about 20 km from Abha in the Sarawat range and part of Asir National Park.
- NatureSarawat MountainsThe Kingdom's highest mountain range, running from the Yemeni border to north of Taif, with its highest peaks such as Al-Sawda and its richest land biodiversity.
Related topics
- RegionAsir RegionA southwestern Saudi region administered from Abha, combining Sarawat highlands, Tihamah and the coast, with agricultural terraces, historic villages and distinctive local cultural traditions.
- TopicAl-Qatt Al-AsiriA traditional art of painted wall decoration in Asir homes, practised by women, added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017.
- HistoricDarb ZubaydahThe Kufa pilgrimage road linking Iraq to Makkah through five Saudi regions, used since before Islam and named after the spring dug by Zubaydah bint Ja'far.
- HistoricDhi Ain VillageA heritage village in Al-Makhwah, Al-Bahah, on a white rock hill, dating to the end of the tenth century AH and named after the spring that waters its farms.