Culture

Hegra Highlights Status as Saudi Arabia’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site

Culture Hegra Highlights Status as Saudi Arabia’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site

Hegra Highlights Status as Saudi Arabia’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a land that has witnessed successive civilizations whose traces remain across its regions, is home to AlUla Governorate, where the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture A diver passes above Roman-era columns at an archaeological site near the coast in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

Tyre’s Ruins Survived the Strikes. Now Divers are Finding their Way Back Underwater

Beneath the Mediterranean waters off the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, divers swim past stone walls, ancient structures and a submerged road — remnants of…

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Culture Linah is one of the most prominent historical sites in northern Saudi Arabia - SPA

Historic Linah Marks Saudi National Day with Heritage Events, International Performances

Historic Linah, located south of Rafha in Northern Borders Region, will celebrate Saudi National Day with a series of national and heritage events at the…

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Culture  A person photographs Leonardo da Vinci's painting Mona Lisa at the Louvre museum, Aug. 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP)

Germans Arrested for Louvre Stunt in Mona Lisa Hall

Two Germans were arrested Saturday after they stuck two paintings on a wall of the hall that hosts the Mona Lisa in Paris's Louvre museum, police sources said…

Culture The agreement focuses on organizing a specialized symposium to exchange expertise on safeguarding policies, methodologies, and practices. SPA

Saudi Culture Ministry, ALECSO Sign Executive Program for Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Ministry of Culture has signed an executive program with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) to establish a…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)

Culture This photograph shows visitors, seen from the Sully wing, queuing in the Cour Napoleon by the pyramid designed by Chinese-US architect Ieoh Ming Pei, to enter the Louvre Museum in Paris on November 19, 2025. (AFP)

Louvre Museum ‘Running Out of Steam’, Says New Director

The Louvre museum is struggling to find funding to upgrade its ageing facilities, its new director said Wednesday, following a litany of problems that included…

Culture  Visitors walk into the artwork "The Pont Neuf Cave" by French street artist JR on the Pont Neuf bridge, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Paris, open to the public from June 15 to 28. (AP)

Monumental Cave Art on Paris’ Oldest Bridge Finally Opens, as the Public Steps and Sniffs Inside

For weeks, a black mountain loomed over the Seine where Paris’ oldest bridge should have been. On Monday evening, its doors finally opened. Inside, Paris…

Culture  A first edition of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights", is on display for sale at Christie's auction house in London, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP)

A Rare First Edition of ‘Wuthering Heights’ Complete with Spelling Mistakes Is up for Auction

A rare first-edition copy of “Wuthering Heights,” complete with spelling mistakes, is up for auction for the first time in more than a century, as Emily Brontë…

Culture Red Sea Film Foundation Extends 48-Hour Film Challenge Deadline to July 4

Red Sea Film Foundation Extends 48-Hour Film Challenge Deadline to July 4

The Red Sea Film Foundation has extended the application deadline for the sixth edition of the 48-Hour Film Challenge to July 4, 2026, allowing more young…

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Culture  Venezuelan weaver Margarita Mora. (The New York Times)

The 91-Year-Old Weaving Venezuelan Ancestral Tradition into Art

Though electric machines are now standard, the Venezuelan weaver Margarita Mora has clung to a mix of ancestral Indigenous and Spanish practices to create…

Culture British artist David Hockney poses as he unveils his painting "Bigger Trees Near Water", the largest painting ever shown at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition, London, Friday, May 25, 2007. (AP)

David Hockney, the British Artist Who Went in Search of Californian Color, Dies at 88

As a child growing up in gloomy northern England, David Hockney noticed the sharply ‌defined shadows in the Hollywood films of comedy duo Laurel and Hardy…

Culture The exhibition offers a comprehensive educational and visual experience that traces the evolution of shipwrecks  - SPA

Red Sea Museum Extends 'Sunken Treasures' Exhibition Until August 15

The Red Sea Museum is strengthening its cultural and educational offerings by extending its temporary exhibition, “Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of…

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Culture The Saudi Film Commission logo

Saudi Film Commission Adds Kuwaiti Classic ‘Bas Ya Bahar’ to National Film Archive to Boost Cultural Cooperation

The Film Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture announced the inclusion of the film "Bas Ya Bahar" (The Cruel Sea), one of the most prominent Gulf…

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Culture Riyadh Art's permanent collection now comprises 75 artworks across the capital - SPA

Riyadh Art Expands Collection with Works by Italian, Indian Artists

Riyadh Art has announced the installation of two new works in its permanent collection: "Run Beyond" by Italian artist Angelo Bonello and "Family Tree" by…

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Culture The survey recorded 156 new archaeological sites. (SPA)

Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers 1,774 Archaeological Finds in Madinah Region

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission concluded the second season of archaeological survey work in Al Mahd Governorate, Madinah Region, documenting 1,774…

Culture This photograph shows a general view of the ruins of the ancient city of Troy in Canakkale on June 2, 2026. (AFP)

Between Homer and Hollywood: Troy a Source of Turkish Pride

A gift from the film set of "Troy", a giant Trojan Horse replica looms over the port of Canakkale on the Dardanelles Strait in western Türkiye. First…

Culture  A bookseller holds a book while standing at a book shop in the GUM department store, during the annual Red Square Book Festival, celebrating Alexander Pushkin's birthday in Moscow, on Friday, June 5, 2026. (AP)

Seven Georgians Tried in France over Theft of Rare Russian Books

Seven Georgian nationals will be tried in Paris starting Tuesday for the theft of rare editions of Russian literary classics from prestigious French libraries,…

Culture  An artisan weaves horsehair sieves, a mesh known as a “cedazo,” in Guangopolo, Ecuador, Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP)

Ecuadorian Artisans Working to Preserve the Traditional Craft of Weaving Horsehair Strainers

In her modest home in Guangopolo, east of Ecuador’s capital, Ligia Ipiales carefully separates strands from a horse’s tail, weaving a mesh as fine as gauze for…

Culture The projects form part of a broader range of initiatives launched by the Heritage Commission - SPA

Aseer’s Traditional Mud Houses Stand as Symbols of Cultural Heritage

Mud houses in Aseer Region represent one of the most distinctive elements of the region's traditional architectural heritage, and they have been closely…

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Culture  Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a neighborhood in the southern Lebanese coastal city of Tyre on June 7, 2026.  (Photo by Kawnat HAJU / AFP)

Lebanon Heritage Site Damaged by Israeli Bombardment

Israeli bombardment has damaged a World Heritage site in Lebanon's southern city of Tyre, a culture ministry official told AFP on Monday, as correspondents…

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Culture Through its pavilion, Saudi Arabia presented an integrated cultural showcase combining literature, arts, heritage, and knowledge. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia Concludes Participation at Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair

Saudi Arabia's Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission concluded the Kingdom’s participation as guest of honor at the 2026 Kuala Lumpur…

Culture Students' curiosity uncovered what had lain hidden beneath the earth for centuries. (Special Superintendency of Rome)

Students Discover 1,800-Year-Old Roman Villa Beneath School Gym

Archaeologists in Rome have uncovered the remains of a luxury Roman residence dating to the second century CE beneath a high school near the Colosseum, after…

Asharq Al Awsat (Roma)
Culture The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in the fields of translation and publishing, promote cultural and knowledge exchange, and support scientific and academic efforts of mutual interest. SPA

Saudi, Malaysian Translation Associations Sign MoU to Promote Cultural Exchange

The Saudi Arabian Translation Association and the Malaysian Translators Association have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Saudi Arabia's pavilion,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Kuala Lumpur)
Culture Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA

Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission completed the first season of its joint scientific mission with the University of Exeter at the ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat site…

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Culture The manuscript is distinguished by its precise script written in black ink with full diacritical marks - SPA

Makkah Museum Displays Rare Quran Manuscript Dating Back to 1843

The Holy Quran Museum in the Hira Cultural District in Makkah showcases a collection of rare Quranic artifacts and collectibles that document Muslims’ care for…

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Culture Tinuke Odunfa, the interior designer of the gallery, aimed to modernize the space and present Nigerian history in an an 'immersive' environment. OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP

Nigerian Museum Revamp Brings Treasures within Reach

Gazing at two large engraved 16th-century elephant tusks on display at Nigeria's National Museum Lagos, a guide surprised visitors by telling them: "You can…

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Culture The replicas include selected examples of historical artifacts discovered across various regions of the Kingdom. (SPA)

Archaeological Replicas Showcase Saudi Arabia's Rich History at Kuala Lumpur Int’l Book Fair

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission, through the Kingdom's pavilion at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2026, showcased a collection of rare…

Culture "Winter Hillside", circa 1955-56, is one of the works to be exhibited at the Jenna Burlingham Gallery. (Jenna Burlingham Gallery)

Elizabeth Blackadder Exhibition Reveals Wintry Tuscan Landscapes

She may be best known for accessible paintings of flowers and cats, but a new exhibition of Elizabeth Blackadder’s work focuses instead on chilly landscapes…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Culture For Vladislava Simonova, haiku is a way of finding poetry in ordinary moments. Tetiana DZHAFAROVA / AFP

Ukrainian Haiku Poet Finds Small Miracles in War

A temperamental lift leads to the apartment in central Ukraine of a 27-year-old poet celebrated in Japan but almost unknown in her own country. With pink…

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