CULTURE

images : getty

ALULA OLD TOWN Characterized by red

mudbrick walls and tightly turning casbah corridors , AlUla ’ s labyrinthine old town blends into the piling sands that surround the site . A once-thriving settlement on an incense-trading route , these walls have stood for a almost a millennium . Enter the archaeological site a short distance from Hegra to see the remnants of the castle and clock tower and envision the civilizations that once mingled on these slim streets .

Sister city to one of the new seven wonders of the world , Jordan ’ s Petra , Hegra was also constructed by the Nabataeans . Ruling a kingdom that spanned from the Euphrates to the Red Sea , the Nabataeans carved elaborately adorned cities from the red rocks that distinguish the desert landscape . Like Petra , Hegra is a metropolis turned necropolis . The city was left undisturbed for almost 2,000 years , finally opening to tourists in 2020 . Explore the cavernous tombs and ancient etchings .

A short distance from the main sites at AlUla , the spectacular ruined city of Khaybar was hewn from volcanic rocks forged from lava , its walls standing long after being abandoned . Prior to the advent of Islam in the seventh century , the city was inhabited by Jewish Arab tribes . Though they were expelled as Islam spread across the peninsula , there are records of Jews seeking safe haven in Khaybar as late as the 12th century .

THREE MORE TO DISCOVER

Diriyah Built within mudbrick battlements and imposing city walls , the old city of Diriyah ( pictured above ) dates back to A . D . 1446 and was the first seat of power of the Saudi royal family .

Al Okhdood Trading hands between Byzantine , Umayyad , Abyssinian and Abbasid kings , Al-Okhdood has been historically significant for millennia . See what remains of the 2,000-year-old city .

Al Azlam Stone archways still guide the way into Al Azlam fort , a Hajj station primarily utilized by the Mamluks and the Ottoman Turks since the 1300s . A crucial rest point for pilgrims facing the scorching Saudi sun , exploring its citadel and airy courtyard offers insight into the lives of centuries of fellow travelers .

FALL 2023 • 23