![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GDWK2YGQ6ZN5SEDZMT52C7I2XE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d12f034d2460d356dd24a5e5849e5ca0ec12e3f4575906408dc050ffad47512f&width=400&height=225)
A view of the Al Ahsa Oasis in the desert of Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NBTUHMITKRBO5YJJU6MB3NRNLY.jpg?smart=true&auth=65ca1cd58e0c61d8e3d0985659199e40d1113f119d88bf490cc7aaf58aa3590e&width=400&height=225)
The Red Sea port location of Historical Jeddah is included on the Unesco World Heritage List
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4MCDGKYFIILDSNGQVN4CKNA5FQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=6aeebfe9debe9924f6e6585eddd1ca2d7f77be6c784e857ce086bf08df4fa821&width=400&height=225)
Historical Jeddah used to be hub of traders and Muslim pilgrims
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6U7FY6ZL4W5IL66JYQVLTHOJCM.jpg?smart=true&auth=fdc75f7305df0c35d4e87bc014987848846efa8749e5dd7fc31d75c017fc9505&width=400&height=225)
Rock art in the Al Hail Region shows inscriptions and camels on a rock at the base of Jebel Umm Sinman in Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OQZJWT3UXS3OSXYAOX4ZFCWQKY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7f93928eda44ec1e5345a225cfdeb7bcda0e1b830510032f77c88d8510818587&width=400&height=225)
A mud brick building from the Unesco World Heritage Site Al Turaif in Ad Diriyah
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BRTAXKVC3PI2CFL3LJHVDHXUGY.jpg?smart=true&auth=29be0a6aa4fe0d6380442b66782b0ab02c6cc8e74ea426b8dd8bc329f9abafa5&width=400&height=225)
A woman walking past rose-coloured sandstone in Hegra, a Unesco World Heritage site, near Saudi Arabia's northwestern town of Al Ula
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HDONXGRMF7EUPSLHZLEGIKMWPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=6646d6cea2044139627cb242c796f05af0f960b011af4262de02a41b01bed8d2&width=400&height=225)
The undulating architecture of Al Turaif in Ad Diriyah
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PU5OKMDOXLMP3GFXLDDAJ77QGE.jpg?smart=true&auth=728196fc928c6ed899dd0563cfa83f3b185ef8e6287227ebe797cbb32ea2535a&width=400&height=225)
Hegra, also known as Madain Saleh, was the first archaeological site in Saudi Arabia to join Unesco's World Heritage List
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FTMZXKUE4PK4Z7NM54DBVY4B34.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd638ab9cc0379df8c5a76c6ccb12b74e74888bed8fafeb837c4e21da55e3447&width=400&height=225)
Welcome ceremony for annual G20 Summit World Leaders is projected onto Salwa Palace in Al Turaif, one of Saudi Arabia’s Unesco World Heritage sites, in Diriyah
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/C2VBBHPUD5ZTY7J67OMIRJQ3EU.jpg?smart=true&auth=dbc757be4d5cc92e577f0d5c7a30727bdbd653f29da84293b43a1a4fc5537cd9&width=400&height=225)
A mud-brick building in Unesco World Heritage Site Al Turaif in Ad Diriyah
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4OBO4DNO7VFH3K2354LB6K2HQU.jpg?smart=true&auth=bcde76720d39d63ce11b186b4e86e297caccd48fe470f1465b246872110528db&width=400&height=225)
Al Hima Cultural Area is home to more than 30 sites of historical rock art
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZMB25GTQLCFCZS7ACQB46S4NQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=c6f8aaa587d323d8d64ea2711d9fc35793f9a17f364d96a1c44d644794bc8247&width=400&height=225)
A traditional well in the Qasr Sahood neighbourhood of the Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GDWK2YGQ6ZN5SEDZMT52C7I2XE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d12f034d2460d356dd24a5e5849e5ca0ec12e3f4575906408dc050ffad47512f&width=400&height=225)
A view of the Al Ahsa Oasis in the desert of Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NBTUHMITKRBO5YJJU6MB3NRNLY.jpg?smart=true&auth=65ca1cd58e0c61d8e3d0985659199e40d1113f119d88bf490cc7aaf58aa3590e&width=400&height=225)
The Red Sea port location of Historical Jeddah is included on the Unesco World Heritage List
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4MCDGKYFIILDSNGQVN4CKNA5FQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=6aeebfe9debe9924f6e6585eddd1ca2d7f77be6c784e857ce086bf08df4fa821&width=400&height=225)
Historical Jeddah used to be hub of traders and Muslim pilgrims
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6U7FY6ZL4W5IL66JYQVLTHOJCM.jpg?smart=true&auth=fdc75f7305df0c35d4e87bc014987848846efa8749e5dd7fc31d75c017fc9505&width=400&height=225)
Rock art in the Al Hail Region shows inscriptions and camels on a rock at the base of Jebel Umm Sinman in Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OQZJWT3UXS3OSXYAOX4ZFCWQKY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7f93928eda44ec1e5345a225cfdeb7bcda0e1b830510032f77c88d8510818587&width=400&height=225)
A mud brick building from the Unesco World Heritage Site Al Turaif in Ad Diriyah
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BRTAXKVC3PI2CFL3LJHVDHXUGY.jpg?smart=true&auth=29be0a6aa4fe0d6380442b66782b0ab02c6cc8e74ea426b8dd8bc329f9abafa5&width=400&height=225)
A woman walking past rose-coloured sandstone in Hegra, a Unesco World Heritage site, near Saudi Arabia's northwestern town of Al Ula
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HDONXGRMF7EUPSLHZLEGIKMWPI.jpg?smart=true&auth=6646d6cea2044139627cb242c796f05af0f960b011af4262de02a41b01bed8d2&width=400&height=225)
The undulating architecture of Al Turaif in Ad Diriyah
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PU5OKMDOXLMP3GFXLDDAJ77QGE.jpg?smart=true&auth=728196fc928c6ed899dd0563cfa83f3b185ef8e6287227ebe797cbb32ea2535a&width=400&height=225)
Hegra, also known as Madain Saleh, was the first archaeological site in Saudi Arabia to join Unesco's World Heritage List
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FTMZXKUE4PK4Z7NM54DBVY4B34.jpg?smart=true&auth=fd638ab9cc0379df8c5a76c6ccb12b74e74888bed8fafeb837c4e21da55e3447&width=400&height=225)
Welcome ceremony for annual G20 Summit World Leaders is projected onto Salwa Palace in Al Turaif, one of Saudi Arabia’s Unesco World Heritage sites, in Diriyah
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/C2VBBHPUD5ZTY7J67OMIRJQ3EU.jpg?smart=true&auth=dbc757be4d5cc92e577f0d5c7a30727bdbd653f29da84293b43a1a4fc5537cd9&width=400&height=225)
A mud-brick building in Unesco World Heritage Site Al Turaif in Ad Diriyah
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4OBO4DNO7VFH3K2354LB6K2HQU.jpg?smart=true&auth=bcde76720d39d63ce11b186b4e86e297caccd48fe470f1465b246872110528db&width=400&height=225)
Al Hima Cultural Area is home to more than 30 sites of historical rock art
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZMB25GTQLCFCZS7ACQB46S4NQ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=c6f8aaa587d323d8d64ea2711d9fc35793f9a17f364d96a1c44d644794bc8247&width=400&height=225)
A traditional well in the Qasr Sahood neighbourhood of the Al Ahsa Oasis, Saudi Arabia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GDWK2YGQ6ZN5SEDZMT52C7I2XE.jpg?smart=true&auth=d12f034d2460d356dd24a5e5849e5ca0ec12e3f4575906408dc050ffad47512f&width=400&height=225)
A view of the Al Ahsa Oasis in the desert of Saudi Arabia
Hima to Hegra: a guide to Saudi Arabia's six Unesco World Heritage Sites
The locations underscore the kingdom’s cultural importance to the Arab world
![Saeed Saeed](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fdfd6c0d0-f148-4163-b51c-fe3b293b0f9d.png?smart=true&auth=fbad4a9efbd3b8c272380498534cedd4e4b64afad5f5593a426d913b1da43080&width=70&height=70)
Saeed Saeed
25 July, 2021
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