Ahwal Al-Ma'rifa – Special

Saudi architectural heritage constitutes a significant part of Saudi civilization, which is rooted in a historical dimension that some scholars and anthropologists trace back more than 16,000 years. This historical continuity has given Saudi culture, in the comprehensive cultural sense of nations and peoples, profound dimensions that scholars and researchers can continually explore and uncover, highlighting their most prominent characteristics.

Architectural heritage encompasses everything built by human beings, including cities, villages, neighborhoods, and buildings of historical, cultural, or national value. It highlights the Kingdom's unique cultural identity and its architectural diversity according to geographical and climatic environments.

A Cultural Mirror:

Architecture, in its various forms and elements, serves as a mirror reflecting the culture, values, and beliefs of nations and peoples. It sheds light on the civilizational development, material and intellectual capabilities, as well as the economic and environmental life experienced by these societies. Recognizing the importance of architectural heritage, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has dedicated provisions within its Antiquities Law to the care and preservation of architectural heritage.

The regions of the Kingdom feature diverse architectural styles that reflect the local environment, customs, and traditions. These styles include:

•   **The Central Region style (Najd):** Its characteristics include closely connected mud-brick buildings, inner courtyards, and narrow streets designed to moderate the heat.
  

•   **The Northern Region style (Hail, Al-Jawf, Al-Qurayyat, Tayma, and Tabuk):** This style resembles that of Najd.
  

•   **The Western Region style (Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and Yanbu):** Characterized by stone buildings featuring plaster decorations and elaborately decorated wooden rawasheen (traditional projecting windows).
  

•   **The Eastern Region style (Al-Ahsa and the Arabian Gulf coast):** This style combines elements of the Najdi and Hijazi styles, while its exterior appearance varies depending on how close or far it is from the coast.
  

•   **The Southern Region style (Abha, Asir, Najran, and Al-Baha):** Architecture varies according to elevation. Buildings in mountainous areas are constructed from stone, while those in lower-altitude areas are built using a combination of stone and mud.
  

Architectural heritage includes fixed, movable, buried, and submerged properties located within the borders of the Kingdom and in maritime areas under its sovereignty or legal jurisdiction. These include structures and objects built, crafted, produced, adapted, or painted by humans that acquired archaeological characteristics through human intervention across the ages, even if their history extends into relatively recent periods, provided that they are at least 100 years old.

The National Register is responsible for documenting, registering, and classifying heritage sites in accordance with the Antiquities and Architectural Heritage Law and its executive regulations. It also maps these sites digitally to facilitate their management, protection, and preservation, while establishing a spatial database for registered heritage sites.

The total number of sites registered with the Heritage Commission has exceeded 8,500 historical sites. Historic Jeddah alone, which has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2014, contains more than 600 heritage buildings and 36 historic mosques, in addition to its traditional heritage markets.

Excellent Examples:

In the world of architectural heritage, buildings and sites are not merely structures; they are cultural documents that tell the story of civilizations and traditional construction methods across the ages. Despite the rapid and continuous urbanization and development witnessed by the Kingdom, many heritage buildings remain as excellent examples of traditional architecture and its resilience in the face of the influences imposed by urbanization and modernization.

Many heritage buildings and traditional neighborhoods across different regions of the Kingdom continue to stand as testimony to, and symbols of, the architectural and civilizational continuity that characterizes the Kingdom. Heritage represents the national architectural identity, connects the present with the past, serves as a source of knowledge, and embodies the authentic heritage and history of the nation. It is the spirit and conscience of the homeland and the legacy passed down through generations.

The management of architectural heritage includes preserving its elements and protecting its components, which consist of: historic and heritage buildings and cities, heritage villages, heritage neighborhoods, and folk heritage.

The Kingdom has undertaken the redevelopment of Historic Jeddah, Al-Muftaha Village in Abha, At-Turaif District in Diriyah, and Al-Bujairi District. It has also redeveloped Diriyah as a cultural and heritage center in accordance with UNESCO's international standards, along with numerous other heritage sites.

Among the most prominent architectural heritage sites in the Kingdom are: Historic Diriyah, the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, Masmak Palace, the Historic Linah Palace, King Abdulaziz Palace in Al-Muwaih, the Historic Emirate Palace, King Abdulaziz Palace in Qibah, Tabuk Castle, the heritage town of Ushaiqer, Al-Shinanah Tower, Al-Rajhi Pavilion, the Heritage Majlis Market, Historic Jeddah, Rijal Almaa Village, the heritage town of Al-Nufayd, Falayeh of Unaizah, Ibn Raqoush Palace, Al-Malad Village, the heritage village of Al-Khubra, Al-Atawlah Village, Dhee Ayn Village, Al-Musa Village, King Abdulaziz Palace in Nita', Tell Tarout archaeological site and Tarout Castle, Shaqir House, the historic town of Al-Mithnab, Ibrahim Palace in Al-Hofuf, Al-Qaisariyah Market, and many other sites spread throughout the regions of the Kingdom that collectively represent its diverse architectural heritage styles.

Footnotes:

•   Khayriyah Abdullah Al-Asqah: *The National Architectural Heritage Symposium in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia*, Adomato Magazine, Issue No. 9, Dhu al-Hijjah 1424 AH / January 2004, pp. 84–90.
  

•   [Heritage Ministry of Culture](https://heritage.moc.gov.sa/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  

•   [Arabic Magazine – Article](https://www.arabicmagazine.net/Arabic/articleDetails.aspx?Id=10862&utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  

•   [AHA – Urban Heritage Digital Library](https://www.aha.org.sa/web/urban-heritage/digital-library?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  

•   Dr. Abdulnasser bin Abdulrahman Al-Zahrani: *The Efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Managing Architectural Heritage*. King Saud University, Riyadh