Culture

UNESCO Adds France's D-Day Landing Beaches, Greece's Mount Olympus to World Heritage List

Culture Visitors stand at the Prionia trailhead on Mount Olympus in northern Greece, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

UNESCO Adds France's D-Day Landing Beaches, Greece's Mount Olympus to World Heritage List

World War II’s D-Day landing beaches in northern France, the iconic Mount Olympus in Greece and the ancient Japanese capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara were among…

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Culture  Children jump in the ocean in the former dhow port of Kalaweni, opposite the Grand Mosque, in Moroni's historic Medina on July 17, 2026. (AFP)

Six Ancient Comoros Medinas Join UNESCO's Heritage List

UNESCO on Saturday added six centuries-old medinas in the Comoros -- once historic sultanates along Indian Ocean trading routes -- to its World Heritage List,…

Culture  In this picture made available by the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Friday, July 24, 2026, part of the restored ceiling of the Bakery House is displayed at the Pompeii Archaeological site. (Parco Archeologico di Pompei via AP)

Pompeii Archaeologists Reconstruct Frescoed Ceiling of a Banquet Hall

Archaeologists in Pompeii, the ancient city buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, have unveiled the partially reconstructed frescoed ceiling vault…

Culture A Palestinian visitor takes a photo at the Roman historical site in the West Bank town of Sebastia, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP)

UNESCO Adds West Bank Site and Lebanese Castles to World Heritage List Despite Israeli Objections

A United Nations committee voted Friday to inscribe a major archaeological site in the West Bank and a set of castles in southern Lebanon as World Heritage…

Culture Saudi Visual Arts Commission Organizes Intermix Residency Open Studio Event for the Public

Saudi Visual Arts Commission Organizes Intermix Residency Open Studio Event for the Public

Saudi Arabia's Visual Arts Commission invited the public to the Open Studio of the Intermix Residency at Studio I08, JAX District, Diriyah, on July 28, 29, and…

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Culture Red Sea International Film Festival Opens Early Registration for Sixth Edition

Red Sea International Film Festival Opens Early Registration for Sixth Edition

The Red Sea International Film Festival has announced the opening of early registration for its sixth edition, scheduled to take place in Historic Jeddah from…

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Culture Photo by SPA

King Abdulaziz Public Library Inaugurates Largest Specialized Children's Library

The King Abdulaziz Public Library today inaugurated the "Children's Library," the largest specialized children's library in Saudi Arabia, with notable…

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Culture The Saudi Heritage Commission logo

Heritage Commission Signs Agreement with Spain IE University in Cultural Heritage Fields

The Heritage Commission signed a cooperation agreement with IE University of Spain as part of its efforts to develop capacity-building programs in the cultural…

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Culture AlUla Arts celebrates the participation of more than 20 Saudi and international artists at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. (SPA)

AlUla Arts Showcases More than 20 Artists at 61st Venice Biennale

AlUla Arts celebrates the participation of more than 20 Saudi and international artists whose artistic journeys have been connected to its programs at the 61st…

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Culture  Visitors look at paintings by Ukrainian artists at the Art Kyiv 2026 Festival at the Art Ukraine Gallery in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, May 8, 2026. (AP)

Ukrainians Seeking Cultural Escape from War’s Brutality Find Comfort and Resilience at Kyiv Art Fair

A contemporary art fair has been held in the Ukrainian capital with an unusual premise: that art can help a society come to terms with what war has made normal…

Culture The King Abdulaziz Public Library. SPA

Saudi Arabia: King Abdulaziz Library to Launch 26th Free Reading Festival

The King Abdulaziz Public Library, in cooperation with the Riyadh Education Department, will launch its 26th annual Free Reading Festival for public school…

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Culture The Monday market in the governorate of Uyun Al-Jiwa. (SPA)

Qassim's Monday Market Retains Heritage Role as Economic and Cultural Hub

The Monday market in the governorate of Uyun Al-Jiwa, north of Qassim Region, stands as one of the oldest traditional weekly markets, enduring through changing…

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Culture The district’s significance lies in its unique architectural composition - SPA

Heritage Commission Revives Al-Nasb Heritage District as Abha Cultural Tourism Destination

Al-Nasb Heritage District in Abha is one of the most prominent living examples of traditional architecture in Aseer Region, preserving its long history and…

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Culture The fines varied according to the nature and circumstances of each violation

Saudi Heritage Commission Enforces Strict Penalties Against Antiquities Violators

The Saudi Heritage Commission announced financial fines against 11 violators for dealing in portable antiquities without obtaining the required regulatory…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture Among the museum’s distinctive exhibits is a copy of the Quran engraved on brass plates dating back to the 12th century AH - SPA

Holy Quran Museum Showcases Rare 18th-Century Brass-Engraved Copy of the Quran

The Holy Quran Museum in the Hira Cultural District in Makkah offers a rich cultural and knowledge experience, enabling visitors to explore the history of the…

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Culture Franchisee Ahmad Badr serves a drink and treat sampler at Arwa Yemeni Coffee on April 6, 2026, in Sunnyvale, Calif. (AP)

Yemen Introduced the World to Coffee. Now, Its Coffeehouse Culture Is Booming in the US

Hundreds of years ago, Yemen helped introduce the world to coffee. Lately, the mountainous, war-ravaged country that borders Saudi Arabia and Oman is exporting…

Culture A prominent example is the private museum of Abdullah Al-Suhaibani, an expert with over 40 years of experience in gemstones and minerals - SPA

Private Museums Bolster Cultural Tourism in Qassim Region

Qassim Region is witnessing a significant rise in private museums, as individual collectors transform personal passions into vital cultural projects. These…

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Culture ‏The Saudi pavilion brings together a range of government entities and cultural institutions - SPA

Saudi Arabia Showcases Literary Diversity at 2026 Rabat International Book Fair

The Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission launched the Saudi pavilion at the 2026 International Publishing and Book Fair in Rabat, which continues…

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Culture German artist Georg Baselitz attends the opening of his exhibition "The Heroes" (Die Helden) at the Staedel museum in Frankfurt, Germany June 29, 2016. (Reuters)

Georg Baselitz, the German Painter Who Turned Postwar Art Upside Down, Dies at 88

Georg Baselitz liked to insist — sometimes as a taunt, ‌sometimes as a shield — that he did not know how to paint. That he had "no talent". Rejected at…

Culture The event marked 100 years of Saudi-Russian bilateral relations. SPA

Saudi Arabia Holds Cultural Event in Moscow to Mark Centenary of Ties with Russia

The Saudi Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Kingdom’s embassy in Russia, organized an academic and cultural event titled “A Century of Friendship…

Asharq Al Awsat (Moscow)
Culture Marine Sadania, a maritime archaeologist in charge of scientific and heritage management for the PACA Coastal Observatory, observes the “ROV C 4000,” a remotely operated vehicle manufactured by the French company LD Travocean and designed for seabed exploration,  during its launch aboard the Jason (BSAA), chartered for an archaeological mission on the wreck of the CAMARAT 4 off the coast of Ramatuel, in southeastern France on April 7, 2026. (Photo by Thibaud MORITZ / AFP)

Diving Robot Explores Mystery of France's Deepest Shipwreck

Deep below the surface of the Mediterranean off the French coast, the pincer of a remotely guided underwater robot delicately closes around a centuries-old jug…

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Culture This photo taken on April 23, 2026 shows visitors under the Galeon Espiritu Santo, a full-scale representation of a 17th century galleon, on display at the Museo del Galeon in Manila. (Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP)

Philippine Museum Brings Deadly, Lucrative Galleon Trade to Life

A full-size replica of a Spanish galleon stares out into Manila Bay, the centerpiece of a museum that will transport visitors back to the 17th century, when…

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Culture The cultural event reflected the diversity of global heritage and promoted cultural and knowledge exchange among peoples. SPA

Over 90 Countries Participate in the 5th Edition of Peoples’ Heritage Festival in Saudi Arabia

The fifth edition of the Peoples’ Heritage Festival, organized by Qassim University at the King Khalid Cultural Center in Buraidah, witnesses broad…

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Culture A Swedish flag flutters in front of residential houses in Stockholm, Sweden, September 14, 2023. (Reuters)

‘Unique’ 16th Century Wreck Found off Sweden

A 16th century shipwreck providing "unique historical and archaeological information" has been discovered off Sweden's southeastern coast, officials announced…

Culture Saudi Museums Commission Explores Tapline's Historical and Cultural Legacy

Saudi Museums Commission Explores Tapline's Historical and Cultural Legacy

Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission organized a virtual session as part of its monthly open-meeting series, during which it explored the historical and social…

Culture A view of the Pompeii Archeological Park, near Naples, southern Italy, on Dec. 14, 2022. (AP)

Archaeologists at Pompeii Use AI to Reveal the Face of One of the Victims

Archaeologists at the ancient Roman site of Pompeii have used artificial intelligence for the first time to digitally reconstruct the face of a victim of the…

Culture Saudi Visual Arts Commission's Bedayat Exhibition Attracts Over 13,000 Visitors

Saudi Visual Arts Commission's Bedayat Exhibition Attracts Over 13,000 Visitors

The “Bedayat: Beginnings of the Saudi Art Movement” exhibition highlighted the early development of the art movement in Saudi Arabia, showcasing the…

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Culture Diriyah Company Awards $490 Million Construction Contract for Iconic Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art

Diriyah Company Awards $490 Million Construction Contract for Iconic Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art

Diriyah Company has awarded a $490 million construction contract for the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art (SAMoCA), in Diriyah. The contract has been…

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Culture Prayer beads of various types have long been part of the tradition of acquiring Makkah souvenirs and gifts - SPA

Historic Jeddah Museum Highlights Rare Coral Prayer Beads of the Red Sea

Yusr prayer beads shine at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah as one of the top handicraft pieces, combining spiritual depth and aesthetic richness,…

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