Latest news with #historicalsites
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Heritage conversation with Manitoba Historical Society
Winnipeg Watch Gordon Goldsborough from the Manitoba Historical Society joins us to discuss the state of heritage sites in Manitoba.
Arab News
6 days ago
- Arab News
Madinah authority restores historic holy sites
RIYADH: Projects to preserve and restore important religious and historic sites in Madinah have brought a growing number of visitors to the area. The work by the Madinah Region Development Authority includes ongoing restoration of the Battle of the Trench site and surrounding areas, where followers of the Prophet Muhammad dug a deep trench to fortify themselves against attack in 627 C.E. A place that holds deep religious and historical significance for Muslims, the redevelopment includes restoring several mosques and other significant sites. The authority is also redeveloping the Miqat of Dhu Al-Hulaifah, where the Prophet Muhammed entered the ritual state of Ihram before performing the Umrah pilgrimage. The initiative is focused on expanding the mosque's facilities and improving services. Over the past year, several Madinah landmarks have been enhanced with modern amenities and new guide services using digital technologies. Other upgrades include the installation of pedestrian facilities around the city's central area and near the Prophet's Mosque, such as electric vehicle access and a pedestrian path to Quba Mosque, and landscaping and public amenities. The Rua Al-Madinah Project is a major development featuring an extensive tunnel network and numerous luxury hotels which will contribute to the target of increasing the holy city's hospitality capacity to 30 million visitors by 2030. The Al-Matal Project, another new initiative, features integrated tourist and recreational facilities built into the mountainside of the Al-Jamawat neighborhood. The schemes will enrich the Madinah visitor experience, a key objective of Saudi Vision 2030.
CTV News
11-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
New app allows you to explore Manitoba's history
A person uses a cellphone in Ottawa on Monday, July 18, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Manitoba's history is now available at the push of a button. On Friday, the Manitoba Historical Society (MHS) announced the launch of 'MHS InSite'—a free, mobile app where Manitobans can learn about nearly 10,000 of the province's historical sites. MHS InSite includes an interactive map that allows users to locate historic locations, including buildings, cemeteries, monuments, and museums, along with accessing information from MHS' archive. MHS InSite is now available in the App Store and Google Play.
CBC
11-07-2025
- General
- CBC
History in your pocket: New app identifies Manitoba stories and sites wherever you stand
Social Sharing A new mobile app brings Manitoba's past into the present — and into the palm of your hand — by helping you discover the history that's all around you, but perhaps not immediately evident. "The reality is we are surrounded by history.… We don't usually know about it, though, because it hasn't been marked or it hasn't been promoted," said Gordon Goldsborough, head researcher of the Manitoba Historical Society, which launched the MHS InSite app on Friday. "I think what people are going to be surprised about, and I think quite enjoy, is that no matter where you are, at least in southern Manitoba, you're going to find stuff all over the place." The free Android and iPhone app features an interactive map that lets users explore a wide range of historic sites, like buildings and monuments, but also "hidden historical gems" that are lesser known, said Goldsborough. Sometimes those are locations where something used to be that's been lost to time. "There's no marker … that would tell you what was there. But of course, there's buildings that have been there or events that took place there," Goldsborough said. "These are the things we can capture." In places where plaques or other monuments do exist, they are often limited in the information they can provide, "but we go further," Goldsborough said. "We'll often have details about who put up the monument, when did they put up the monument [and] why." The app identifies and categorizes sites by six different icons: building, cemetery, location, monument, museum/archive and other. There are some 10,000 in all, with about 2,800 in Winnipeg. If a user taps an icon, it'll open the Manitoba Historical Society website entry. "It's history in your pocket," Goldsborough said. Developer hopes app will foster love of local history The app was launched Friday to coincide with Historic Places Days, an annual national celebration organized by the National Trust for Canada, a charity focused on preserving heritage places. "I hope people will see things they never saw before," Goldsborough said. "I am immensely proud of Manitoba … and I want to tell the world what a great place it is. One of the ways to do that is to say, 'Look at the rich history we have.'" The app was created by Kyle Tichon, who started out in 2023 making one "for fun" in his spare time. He was using open government data but found the information was limited to only 700 sites. Both sets of his grandparents live on farms, so he wanted to include rural Manitoba as well. He did some research and found the historical society website had thousands of sites listed, along with photographs, maps and other details. He contacted Goldsborough to ask about using those resources. The society secured a grant to help Tichon develop the app. "I'm excited that so many more people are able to see it," Tichon said. "One of my favourite moments … was finding historical sites relevant to my grandparents. I was able to find my grandparents' school and was able to hear the stories of all the teachers they had growing up — a school that's been demolished for long before my parents were born. "Now it's included on the app, and that memory is preserved." That rural connection also influenced Tichon's decision to make sure the app didn't rely too heavily on Wi-Fi, because internet connections in rural areas are spotty. Even without data, the app will work, though it's limited. Text will show up but some graphics won't load, like photographs — and there are more than 24,000 of them. One of the biggest challenges was working around the constraints of Google Maps, which is not supposed to have more than about 1,000 markers on it at a time. "Every challenge that I encountered was just a new puzzle I had to solve. It was honestly the most fun I've had in a while," Tichon said. "I hope this app can foster a love of local history … and hopefully can create new conversations with the people who were there and still have memories of some of these historic places." While it covers essentially the whole province, it's not as inclusive as it could be, Goldsborough said, noting he wants to better document more of northern Manitoba but hasn't had the opportunity. He hopes with the app now live, "people will sign on and say, 'Hey, I know about something that your app doesn't have.'" It can also democratize history, he said, given that in the past, it was primarily wealthy men and their properties that were documented. Now, "we all contribute to the betterment of everyone," Goldsborough said, encouraging people to provide any updated information they might have on sites already in the app. "We want to keep up to date. If you find that something that was there is now gone, let us know."
Arab News
30-06-2025
- Science
- Arab News
Ancient ruins in Al-Ardiyat tell timeless tales
JEDDAH: Al-Ardiyat, a governorate in the Makkah region, is home to many archeological sites dating from earlier periods, including the pre-Islamic Arab eras and the Stone Age. These include ibex carvings and inscriptions continuing into later centuries, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Abdullah Al-Ruzqi, a researcher of archaeology and history in the governorate, said the inscriptions in Al-Ardiyat fall into three categories: ibex drawings; Nabataean and Thamudic writings; and funerary inscriptions from the first Hijri century, such as the tombstone of Maryam bint Qays. He also noted several other known and unknown inscriptions and etchings, calling for attention to and protection of these sites. Al-Ruzqi pointed out that Al-Ardiyat is a testament to history, with numerous inscriptions adorning its mountains, the SPA reported. He added that the governorate is known for the Thumaidah mine, a 50-meter-long tunnel in rocky mountains containing antimony kohl and lead deposits. This mine is in a mountainous area stretching from Abyan to Mount Tharban along the western slopes reaching Qanuna Valley, and the eastern slopes extending to Yabah Valley.
