ALULA, 08 May 2022. Vistors gather at sunset at Jabal Alfil Elephant Rock in Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first Unesco World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 09 May 2022. A vintage Land Rover cruises on the Hegra tour, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 09 May 2022. A tour guiude visits Jabel Albanat, one of the largest clusters of tombs in Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 08 May 2022. Aerial view from the scenic helicopter flight of Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first Unesco World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 09 May 2022. The monolithic Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza measures about 72 ft tall in Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 08 May 2022. Aerial view from the scenic helicopter flight of Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first Unesco World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 10 May 2022. A tour guide walks the Old Town of AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 09 May 2022. Jabal Ithlib, a mountain outcrop in Hegra was a sacred place for the Nabataean people where they would gather, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 10 May 2022. The Heritage Oasis Trail strolls through local date farms and ancient city walls in the valley of AlUla, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 08 May 2022. Set in the desert canyon of Ashar Valley, Maraya is the world’s largest mirrored building, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 09 May 2022. The monolithic Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza measures about 72 ft tall in Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 08 May 2022. Aerial view of the Tomb of Lihayn Son of Kuza in Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first Unesco World Heritage Site, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 10 May 2022. A group of visitors and a tour guide contemplate the Old Town of AlUla as seen from the AlUla Fort located on Jabal Um Nasser, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
ALULA, 08 May 2022. Aerial View of Jabal Alfil Elephant Rock, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Christophe Viseux)
Al-Ula is a city in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, located in the Al Madinah province. It is about 620km northwest of the capital, Riyadh.
The history of Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia dates back to pre-Islamic times, and it was an important center of trade and culture in the region. The city was known for its rock carvings and inscriptions, which were made by the Lihyanite and Nabatean people. The Nabateans were an Arab tribe that controlled the trade routes in the area and established the city of Petra in Jordan.
In the 7th century, Al-Ula came under the control of the Islamic empire, and it became an important center of Islamic culture and learning. The city’s importance waned over the centuries, but it remained a significant site for pilgrimage and religious study.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been working to restore and preserve the historic sites in Al-Ula, and the city is now being developed as a tourist destination. The city’s ancient rock carvings and inscriptions have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A dream for a photographer in Al Ula.
The city is currently undergoing a development program called AlUla: A Destination of Heritage, Adventure and Sustainability; which aims to preserve the historic sites and to attract more tourists to the area.
