The Saudi Arabian Mada’in Saleh is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage

Mada’in Saleh, a magnificent desert necropolis on the UNESCO World Heritage List, it is very similar to Petra in Jordan

The sandstone-carved city of Petra in Jordan is very famous as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, an ancient Arab civilization that flourished in northern Arabia and southern Levant between about 312 BC and AD 106.

But a few hundred kilometers south of Petra towards Al medina in Saudi There are remains of a mysterious settlement that was once a powerful center of their great civilization.

Until the archaeological excavations of the past few decades, little was known about the ancient culture of Saudi Arabia, which left behind huge rocky monuments in the vast desert.

Mada’in Saleh, a UNESCO World Heritage site sometimes called the City of Al-Hajar, was a major center for the Nabateans along an ancient trade route linking Persia to the east with the Mediterranean region to the west.

The surrounding area of ​​AlUla considered one of the magnificent landscapes covered by sand which consists of ancient ruins and tombs that are thousands of years old, many of which are still well preserved to this day.

Mada’in Saleh has been inhabited since the first century BC, and was a famous center for the trade of incense and spices until the invasion of the Romans in the first century AD.

The site consists of more than 100 huge tombs engraved into the rocks, which reflects the artistic ingenuity of the Nabateans.

The Al-Farid Palace is one of the most magnificent and luxurious landmarks and the stairs at its top are believed to help the soul pass to heaven.

Greco-Roman, Assyrian and Egyptian architectural influences, such as eagles, sphinxes, triangles, and columns, can be seen throughout the sandstone tombs.

This site, which is more than 1,000-year-old, has been well-preserved for centuries, largely due to the dry and arid climate of Saudi Arabia.