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 The collection features diverse media, including rare black coral crafts and textiles that evoke underwater textures - SPA

Red Sea Museum Hosts Contemporary Art Exhibition to Showcase Marine Biodiversity

The Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah is hosting a contemporary artistic exhibition that explores the Red Sea’s marine richness by connecting its geological…

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Culture The fair is held under the theme "Book Path" and features 200 exhibitors. SPA

Saudi Pavilion Highlights Cultural Exchange at Sarajevo Book Fair

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, represented by the King Fahd Cultural Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is participating in Saudi Arabia’s…

Asharq Al Awsat (Sarajevo)
Culture Ithra Showcases Ithra Design Week at Milan Design Week 2026

Ithra Showcases Ithra Design Week at Milan Design Week 2026

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), an initiative of Aramco, is participating in Milan Design Week, one of the world’s most prominent annual…

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Culture The Saudi Culture Ministry will oversee the national pavilion with participation from several entities

Saudi Culture Ministry Announces 'A Necessary Fiction: Maps, Art, and Models of Our World' Exhibition in Venice

The Ministry of Culture announced "A Necessary Fiction: Maps, Art, and Models of Our World," a new exhibition at the Abbazia di San Gregorio in Venice on view…

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Culture Dacian gold items, a 2,500-year-old helmet and wristbands, stolen from a museum in the Netherlands and then recovered by Dutch authorities, are presented during a press conference after being returned, at the National Museum of Romanian History, in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, April 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Priceless 2,500-year-old Golden Helmet Returned to Romania after Dutch Museum Raid

A priceless golden helmet dating back 2,500 years was returned to Romania on Tuesday after the national heirloom was stolen from a Dutch museum where it was on…

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Culture Saudi Heritage Commission Announces 2025 Excavation Results at Al-Serrain Archaeological Site

Saudi Heritage Commission Announces 2025 Excavation Results at Al-Serrain Archaeological Site

The Saudi Heritage Commission announced on Tuesday the results of the 2025 archaeological excavation season of the Saudi-Chinese mission at the Al-Serrain…

Culture  Mohammed Rashid, alias "Rambo", a kabootarbaaz (pigeon keeper) feeds his pigeons as he trains them, on the rooftop of a restaurant in the old quarters of Delhi, India, January 24, 2026. (Reuters)

Ancient Mughal Tradition of Pigeon-Rearing Thrives in India’s Capital

In the ‌heart of India's capital city New Delhi, a few men are practicing the ancient Mughal tradition of pigeon-rearing, training the birds to navigate…

Culture The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)

Rare 19th-Century Octagonal Quran Goes on Display at Makkah’s Holy Quran Museum

The Holy Quran Museum in Makkah is showcasing a rare and unique historical Quran written in India during the 19th century, reported the Saudi Press Agency on…

Culture A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)

How France Fell for Re-imagined 19th-Century Workers’ Canteens

So-called bouillon restaurants are mushrooming all over France, reviving a traditional low-cost Gallic meal concept that can compete with fast-food on prices…

Culture AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA

AlUla Marks World Heritage Day, Showcases Millennia of Human Civilization

AlUla Governorate is celebrating World Heritage Day, observed annually on April 18, by showcasing a historical legacy spanning thousands of years as a…

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Culture FILE PHOTO: People walk in front of the British Museum in London, Britain, September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo

UK Proposal to Charge Tourists to Visit Museums Sparks Backlash

Britain is considering introducing entry fees for tourists visiting some of England's most renowned museums, a proposal that has drawn criticism from…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Culture The artworks are strategically distributed across major streets, public squares, cultural centers, and key urban hubs. SPA

Riyadh Art Unveils 75 Works in Expanding Public Art Collection Across Capital

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City, through its “Riyadh Art” program, has unveiled 75 new artworks as part of a growing permanent collection installed across…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture A conservator works on the restoration of gilded moldings at the Prado museum's sculpture restoration department in Madrid on October 23, 2025. (Pierre-Philippe Marcou/ AFP)

New Tools Rescue Old Art at Madrid’s Prado Museum

In a quiet space secluded from the throngs of daily visitors to Madrid's Prado art museum, a team of experts perpetuate an ancient tradition of restoring…

Culture The Saudi Culture Ministry will oversee the national pavilion with participation from several entities

Saudi Culture Ministry Launches Nonprofit Cultural Sector Forum with Wide Participation from Experts, Entities

Under the patronage of Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the sessions of the Nonprofit Cultural Sector Forum, organized by the…

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Culture Maraya Hall reflects one aspect of the cultural transformation witnessed in AlUla - SPA

AlUla’s Maraya Hall Highlights Creative Fusion of Art and Landscape

In AlUla Governorate, features of human creativity are manifested in their finest form, as Maraya Hall hosts an exceptional artistic and architectural…

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Culture Prince Badr expressed his pride in the strong historical and fraternal ties between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia - SPA

Saudi Culture Minister Reviews Bilateral Cultural Relations with Malaysian Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan met Wednesday with Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. …

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Culture The Saudi Minister of Culture met on Tuesday with Indonesia’s Minister of Creative Economy in Jakarta. SPA

Saudi Culture Minister Meets with Indonesian Minister of Creative Economy

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan on Tuesday met with Indonesia’s Minister of Creative Economy Teuku Riefky Harsya in Jakarta. …

Asharq Al Awsat (Jakarta)
Culture “Life Through a Royal Lens” runs until June 7. (Kensington Palace)

‘Life Through a Royal Lens’ Exhibition Showcases British Royal Photography

A photography exhibition showcasing more than 100 photographs taken of and by the British Royal Family is on tour following its launch at Kensington Palace. …

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Culture People sit at a bistro, enjoying the sun in Paris, Thursday, April 9, 2026.(AP Photo/Michel Euler)

French Lawmakers Pass Bill Simplifying Return of Colonial-era Art

French lawmakers on Monday passed a bill to simplify the return of artworks looted during the colonial era to their countries of origin, AFP reported. …

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Culture The book spent 29 weeks on the German best-seller list. Photo: The New York Times

A Novel Makes a Star Out of a Very Young Writer

By Thomas Rogers The 22-year-old Swiss writer Nelio Biedermann has strange memories of visiting his family’s old properties when he was a child. Although he…

Culture FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, April 8, 2026. REUTERS/Tom Nicholson/Pool/File Photo

French Lawmakers to Debate Bill to Return Colonial-era Art

France's lawmakers will on Monday debate a bill to simplify the return of artworks looted during the colonial era to their countries of origin. France still…

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Culture Rockslides are a concern at the ancient theatre of Delphi. Angelos Tzortzinis / AFP/File

Greece's Ancient Sites Get Climate-change Checkup

Worsening wildfires, soaring heatwaves and rising water levels have prompted Greek officials to take a closer look at protecting priceless archaeological sites…

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Culture  A general view of the Door of No Return monument in Ouidah on April 7, 2026. (AFP)

Benin Leans into Painful Past to Attract Tourists

Tourists crowded beneath the Door of No Return, an arch built by the beach at Ouidah in southern Benin in memory of those crammed onto slave ships bound for…

Culture The Hira Cultural District in Makkah organized a literary symposium on Friday at Hira Café. (SPA)

Hira Cultural District Hosts Symposium on Arabic Language and Identity

The Hira Cultural District in Makkah organized a literary symposium on Friday at Hira Café, where scholars, writers, and language enthusiasts gathered to…

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