Wadi Al-Arj in Taif: Harmony of Nature, History, Culture
Nestled in Taif Governorate, Wadi Al-Arj offers a captivating blend of breathtaking landscapes, rich heritage, and diverse flora and fauna. The valley is home to an array of plant life, including shrubs and iconic trees such as Talh, Sidr, and Juniper.
Spanning 47 kilometers, Wadi Al-Arj is surrounded by notable landmarks, including the historic Marwan Castle and the renowned Crown Prince Camel Festival. Its fertile orchards flourish with fruits and grains, while palm-dotted pastures and ancient rock carvings narrate stories of past civilizations.
With its natural beauty, historical significance, and cultural richness, Wadi Al-Arj is a premier destination for ecotourism, leisure, and exploration.
Related Topics :
James Turrell Joins Wadi AlFann at AlUla Arts Festival 2025
Saudi Artist Captivates AlUla's Wadi AlFann Visitors
Diriyah Wadi Safar Project Kicks Off in Line with Saudi Vision 2030
Wadi Al-Sadr Park: New Attraction in Al-Baha Region
Short link :
Post Views: 15 Related Stories
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
6 days ago
- Arab News
Mount Al-Fahlatain — where prophetic history meets pilgrimage tradition
AlUla: Rising from the landscape north of Madinah, Mount Al-Fahlatain has served as a geographical beacon and spiritual waypoint for more than a thousand years. The landmark, on the historic route to AlUla, bears witness to one of Islam's most significant military expeditions — the Prophet Muhammad's journey to Tabuk in 9 A.H. The mountain's name tells its own story. Two colossal rocks crown its summit, their silhouette resembling the horns of a bull — 'fahl' in Arabic, giving rise to 'Al-Fahlatain,' or 'the two bulls.' The sacred site has been documented meticulously by historians and travelers. Ali Al-Samhudi's work, 'Wafa Al-Wafa Bi Akhbar Dar Al-Mustafa,' places the location precisely one day's march from Madinah, describing twin peaks sheltering underlying rock formations. Firuzabadi reinforced its historical significance in 'Al-Maghanim Al-Mutaba fi Ma'alim Taba,' cataloging it among the landmarks witnessed by the Prophet's army on their way to Tabuk. Mohammed Ibn Abdullah Al-Mawlawi provided additional detail in 'Rihlat Al-Shita Wa Al-Sayf,' positioning the twin peaks on the mountain's western flank alongside the main thoroughfare. Al-Suwaidi offered an alternative etymology in 'Al-Nafha Al-Miskiyya Fi Al-Rihla Al-Makkiyya,' suggesting the name reflects the mountain's solitary stance in the landscape, isolated like a bull among grazing camels. Historian and Islamic history researcher Fouad Al-Maghamsi identifies Mount Al-Fahlatain — sometimes called Faifa Al-Fahlatain — as strategically positioned near Shajwa village, northwest of Madinah. With an elevation of 1,084 meters, the mountain commands sweeping views across the surrounding plains, bordered by complementary ridges and highlands. Al-Maghamsi said the site functioned as a vital rest station along the Syrian Hajj route, known as Darb Al-Hajj Al-Shami, earning local appellations including 'Antar's Fortress' and 'Antar's Stable.' Archaeological evidence such as building foundations and service facilities suggests a sophisticated infrastructure designed to support the thousands of pilgrims and merchants who annually traversed these routes. The Syrian Hajj route encompasses diverse terrain rich with sites linked to prophetic biography and pilgrimage heritage.
Saudi Gazette
29-05-2025
- Saudi Gazette
Hadiyah Castle served pilgrims as a key stop and water source
Saudi Gazette report ALULA — Overlooking the northern part of Madinah, Hadiya Castle stands from a high vantage point between Wadi al-Tabaq and Wadi Khaybar. It embodies a rich historical legacy that tells the story of centuries of pilgrims and traders traveling from the Levant to Makkah. The archaeological site of Hadiyah Castle is one of the most prominent strategic points on the Levantine Hajj Route. It is likely that it was used as a station for pilgrims beginning in the pre-Islamic era, given its direct role in securing the route and providing comfort and supplies to caravans heading to Makkah. This made it a major transit point on this historic route. The castle was built in a strategic area overlooking a pond designated for collecting rainwater, making it an important source of water for pilgrims and a center for supplying them with provisions. The castle includes four defensive towers at its corners, three of which still stand, while the fourth has been affected by the effects of time. The traveler Ibn Battuta referred to this site in his documented journey in the year 726 AH, describing the location of the castle by saying: 'It is a well of water in a valley where they dig, and water comes out, and on the third day they descend into the holy, noble, and honorable city,' referring to the castle's proximity to Madinah and its pivotal position on the road. Historian and Islamic history researcher Dr. Fouad Al-Maghamsi explained that "Hadiya," located in Wadi Al-Tabaq, enjoys a strategic location between Madinah and Al-Ula, approximately 169 kilometers north of the city. It was a major stop for pilgrims and trade caravans in ancient times, thanks to its convenient location on one of the historical stated that the site gained additional importance at the beginning of the twentieth century with the launch of the railway line, when an official station called "Hadiyah" was established as part of a series of major stations along this vital stretch.
Arab News
29-05-2025
- Arab News
Ancient Saudi city of Qurh a historic stop for pilgrim and trade caravans
ALULA: Qurh, an ancient city in Saudi Arabia's AlUla governorate, is one of the most prominent historical caravan stops, having served for centuries as a vital hub along the routes of pilgrims and traders, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Located about 20 kilometers south of AlUla's old town, near the village of Mughayra, Qurh is one of the Royal Commission for AlUla's archaeological sites. AlUla's other main heritage sites are Dadan, Hegra and the Old Town. Qurh's ruins spread across an expansive plain surrounded by medium-height mountains. The ruins include remnants of architectural structures, marketplaces, streets, and palaces, all of which highlight the city's once-thriving economic and urban life. Architectural features dating back to the early Islamic periods also suggest that settlement and cultural growth continued after the advent of Islam. Known for its commercial activity since pre-Islamic times, Qurh was the capital of Wadi Al-Qura and a center for Arab markets, as described by the historian Hisham ibn al-Kalbi, who identified it as a commercial and cultural center and a cradle of the arts. The city was located on the route of the historic Incense Road, a trade artery used to transport precious goods from the southern Arabian Peninsula to the north, passing through Wadi Al-Qura. According to Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, the RCA's vice president for culture, the excavations in Qurh have so far proved "that there was some interaction with China at the beginning of the Islamic period." "Evidence exists of interactions and trade extending as far as China. With the China, for example, merchants who brought porcelain, medicines and silk to Arabia with incense for sure, ivory, while other valuables travelled in the opposite directions," he said in an interview produced by FT Longitude in partnership with The Royal Commission for AlUla. AlUla, at present part of Saudi Arabia's western province of Madinah, has been home throughout history to the ancient Dadanites, Lihyanites, Nabataeans, Sabaeans, Minoans, Egyptian, Romans and Arabs.
