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Saudi Arabia: 1,138 Sites Registered in National Register of Architectural Heritage

The Saudi Heritage Commission logo
The Saudi Heritage Commission logo
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Saudi Arabia: 1,138 Sites Registered in National Register of Architectural Heritage

The Saudi Heritage Commission logo
The Saudi Heritage Commission logo

The Saudi Heritage Commission announced on Thursday accrediting the registration and documentation of 1,138 new architectural heritage sites in the National Register of Architectural Heritage.

The number of sites registered in the National Register of Architectural Heritage now stands at 3,646 sites in various regions of the Kingdom, a national heritage that reflects Saudi Arabia’s historical richness.

The new entries included 306 sites in Al-Qassim Region, 224 in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Region, 179 in Hail Region, 155 in Asir Region, 127 in Makkah Region, 106 in Riyadh Region, 35 in Najran Region and 6 in Eastern Region.

The commission stressed that its efforts to register architectural sites are ongoing and cover all regions of the Kingdom, noting that the registration is based on the Law of Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage issued by the Royal Decree on Muharram 9, 1436 Hijri, and by the decision of the board of directors of the commission, which authorizes the CEO of the commission to approve the registration of archaeological and heritage sites in the National Register of Architectural Heritage.

Registering new sites also comes as part of the commission's efforts to identify cultural sites in the Kingdom, officially register them, and then add them to digital maps that enable their easy management, protection and preservation, build a database of registered heritage sites, document the work such sites undergo, and archive documents and photographs of the Kingdom's heritage sites.

The commission called on citizens and interested people to report urban heritage sites and buildings for registration through the urban heritage service reporting platform, the commission's official account on X, and the branches of the commission across the Kingdom, commending citizen's awareness and role as an essential partner in the preservation and development of the national heritage.

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Culture

Iran Artist's Vision For Culture Hub Enlivens Rustic District

Arabesque patterns feature in Yazdi's creations © ATTA KENARE / AFP
Arabesque patterns feature in Yazdi's creations © ATTA KENARE / AFP
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Iran Artist's Vision For Culture Hub Enlivens Rustic District

Arabesque patterns feature in Yazdi's creations © ATTA KENARE / AFP
Arabesque patterns feature in Yazdi's creations © ATTA KENARE / AFP

In the winding alleys of southern Iran, artist Adel Yazdi has taken it upon himself to turn his rustic old neighbourhood into a cultural and tourist hub through vibrant paintings and carved relief faces.

Narenjestan, a neighbourhood characterized by crumbling, uninhabited houses, is nestled in Shiraz, a southern city celebrated for its historic architecture, lush gardens and revered poets.

"Most of the dilapidated walls in old Shiraz have no historical value," said Yazdi, a bushy-bearded, bespectacled 40-year-old artist who has dedicated himself to revitalising Narenjestan, AFP reported.

Yazdi has over the years turned the long-neglected neighbourhood walls into a vivid visual tapestry "telling the stories of the people living here," he said.

Arabesque patterns and relief faces carved with intricate details and painted in an array of vivid hues of greens, pinks, blues and purples now adorn the walls.

With its striking designs and bright colors, Yazdi's art can be reminiscent of Surrealism. It often comes across as surprising, showcasing a different side of Iran's artistic heritage that goes beyond the conventional focus on Persian or Islamic architecture.

The artwork includes the face of Scheherazade, Yazdi said, referencing the legendary storyteller from the "One Thousand and One Nights" collection of folktales.

Yazdi's work stands out in Shiraz where graffiti and murals are rare, becoming a social media sensation and a tourist attraction.

One visitor, Mahdieh, discovered Yazdi's murals through Instagram.

"I arrived in Shiraz yesterday... and it was the first site I wanted to visit," said the 40-year-old, who declined to give her last name.

At the end of one alleyway, Yazdi has established his workshop in a century-old building with small rooms encircling a serene garden.

He also lives in the building, with a traditional Persian architectural style.

It is filled with artefacts and sculptures, resembling a museum warehouse.

To Maedah, a 30-year-old engineer, Yazdi's house brings to mind "other historical places in the city, such as the Eram Garden and the Mausoleum of the Poet Hafez".

Yazdi said he drew inspiration from the Pompidou Center in Paris, a cultural hub that transformed the heart of the French capital in the 1970s.

He hopes his efforts can turn Shiraz's alleyways into even more of a vibrant cultural center as well.

At his residence, visitors are particularly drawn to what Yazdi calls "the Finger Room."

Inside, he installed around 14,000 finger sculptures on the ceiling, all pointing downward.

"The room is inspired by the legend of an angel that counts raindrops with thousands of fingers," he said, referring to an Islamic fable.

"These fingers are there to constantly remind us that the present moment is precious and that we must seize it."