Old Town, Al-Ula Explained

The Old Town (Al-Ula)
Native Name:	Arabic: البلدة القديمة (العلا)
Native Name Lang:	ar
Pushpin Map:	Saudi Arabia
Pushpin Relief:	yes
Coordinates:	26.6167°N 92°W
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	Saudi Arabia
Subdivision Type1:	region
Subdivision Name1:	al-Madinah

The Old Town is an archaeological site near al-Ula, Medina Province, Saudi Arabia.^[1] It is known as the Dira (Arabic: دِيرَة|dīra|town). Inside the Deira are ancient heritage buildings, mosques, and markets, dating back about seven centuries.^[2] This town is away from Hegra.^[3] The heritage town looks like a single building due to the crowding of its 870 residential units. These units are separated by narrow and winding alleys. The town is divided into two districts: al-Shugaig in the north and al-Haf in the south.^[4]

Remaining monuments (archeological sites)

• Mousa Bin Nusayr castle.
• Tantora which was a guide for farmers to know the growing seasons and the timing of water distribution.
• The sundial clock in the south of the town.

See also

• Sarat Mountains
• Winter at Tantora Festival

Notes and References

1. "Heritage Sites in Al-'Ula, Saudi Arabia | ExperienceAl-'Ula.com". experiencealula.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
2. "About Al-'Ula". www.winterattantora.com. Archived from the original on 2019-07-30. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
3. "Winter at Tantora Festival: See Al-'Ula's Culture Come to Life". experiencealula.com.
4. "France to help build a 'new Petra' in Saudi Arabia with estimated $20bn development deal". www.theartnewspaper.com.