Alula City

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You might have read my previous posts related to Alula such as Mada’in Saleh and Winter at Tantora. However, Alula city has many things to see, and it is a very ancient city more than these posts could cover. So, I thought I needed to write a separate one and try to cover all other things that I have not mentioned before.

Alula is one of the cities of Al-Madinah region and it is located north-west Saudi Arabia. Beside the historical sights I have mentioned before, Alula has an extraordinary culture and history. The name of Alula is a plural noun of Aloulia, the reason behind this name is that the area used to have two famous springs, they are Almoualq and tada’al. Above these springs there were high rise palms. However, these weren’t the only springs Alula used to have. There were about 62 springs spread all over the city, and they were running until a few decades ago. Alula’s people are working in agriculture, although it sounds unbelievable because what is people know about alula is that Alula is located in the desert. Actually the city is kind of located between mountains and desert, but it is a very fertile valley where the palms and fruits are grown. Therefore, Alula do have different oases scattered all around the city, where the people back then used it to source their daily needs. For example, the food, the house needs, etc. The dates they produced are till now sell in the market, and it is known by the high quality. Alula is one of the cities that prophet Mohammed peace be upon him visited when he was on his way to Tabuk. The place, that he performed his prayer at, has then become a mosque. Historically, Alula is one of the largest and most important areas of the ancient civilization, this is due to the strategic location it has. It is located on the main road of trade between the civilization of the ancient world and the Arabian Peninsula and the Al-sham, Egypt and Iraq.  

The indigenous people of the city are really famous for growing various types of vegetables, fruits and grains. However, what really sets them apart is the cultivation of citrus and palm tree. Moreover, they used to cultivate a very rare type of grains in Arabia “the white corns”. There are different types of dates that Alula produces e.g. Alhelwah, barniah, anbarah, benjanah, jebsah, etc. The method that native people used here to store the dates, specially Alhelwah, is known as Al-Shanah. Where the people store the dates in an old water bladder that made from animal skins. However, they were sustainable, you know learn from native how to reuse things without waste and save your environment:). They actually use these water bladders after it is no longer can be used to store water. They will then clean it and store the dates on it. However, to store the date, they have to expose the dates to sunlight and spray some water on it. After that the date will be ready to store in Al-shanah.

I mentioned earlier that people use the palms as a source for their daily needs. You might imagine that the only thing we can use from palm tree is “dates”, but ALL Natives Arabian tribes know exactly how to benefit from all the parts of the palm tree. For example, we use the leaf “in Arabic called kassaf or sa’af” to create a hand fan and a basket to save our food.

If you are in Alula, then you want to see different places than Mada’in Saleh.

1. Alula has an old town called Aldirah, it dates back to the 7^th or 8^th century of the Islamic calendar. The houses in this town are made from muds, of course, and stones. It designed with an Islamic architecture or I would call it old Arabian houses. The houses were built next to each other “wall to wall” where each house “mostly” have two floors.
2. There are different shops that called souk in Aldirah, and mosques. One of the mosques called ALadam mosque, which means bones mosque.
3. The historical castle of Mousa Ibn Nousair (if you don’t know who he is, don’t worry about it. He is one of the Arabian men during the Amoui time. What is the amoui? Again, don’t bother yourself with the details unless you really want to know the history).
4. Another place to give it a visit is Tantora. No, I don’t mean this festival, but I mean the actual Tantora, you know the solar clock. It is pyramid stone building, and it is very well built. It has a geometric accuracy, that allows the people to use it as a sundial to know the seasons and also to use it to distribute the water of the springs to farmers (I have no idea how, but GOD they are amazing).
5. Visit the historical place of an old Islamic city called Almabyat back to the Abbasi era, it is located in south of Alula.
6. Train station, it is the station that built during the dirty things that Ottomans has done to native Arabian in the western region of the Arabian Peninsula. It is located near mada’in Saleh.
7. Visit a wild nature park, you are probably going to see if you are coming to Mada’in.
8. If you like mountain, then here you go. Go to the high mountains with a unique and distinctive form, it’s called shar’an. BTW, they start building a resort there and wildlife reserve.
9. If you have a phobia of heights, DON’T go to this place. This place has a very deep edge, that you would think you are going to fall. However, during a rainy time, this place will become beautiful because you will be able to see the running water between the two mountains. It is on the western side of Alula, it’s called Al-hawiah. Well, if you know Arabic, then you are probably getting the reason behind this name.
10. Another historical castle known as Al-hijer Islamic castle, it dates back to the Abbasi era and it mainly built as resting place for pilgrims. It also has a lake which source the water for the visitors.
11. King Abdulaziz park, Hurat oairdh is where this park located. I have mentioned this place in my post about mada’in Saleh.
12.  Water spring in the mountains, it is known as Alqatarah. Located in the southeast of Alula, the local saying it is running all year-round.
13. Another mountain for mountain lovers, this one is special. Why is that? Well, let me tell you why. First, it is the highest mountain in the northeast of the kingdom. Second, in the winter, it could cover by SNOW. You would say, hah, well, what’s special about snow covering the mountain? I will tell you what special, YOU ARE IN ARABIAN PENINSULA. Yah, that’s special! snow is not a common thing here. PS. Sorry, I forgot to write the name, it’s called Al-ward which means flower.
14. Visit Alula museum where you will find everything you need to know about the city.

This is my top things to visit in Alula, hope you have a wonderful journey.

until next post!