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 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Reuters)

Saudi Ministry Launches ‘Cultural Experiences’ Program to Promote Local Arts and Heritage

The Saudi Ministry of Culture unveiled the “Cultural Experiences” program to raise awareness of local culture and arts through interactive public experiences. …

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Culture A visitor looks at Spanish painter Pablo Picasso's master piece "Guernica" during a press conference presenting the "Year of Picasso" events, marking the 50th anniversary of the painter's death, at the Reina Sofia museum in Madrid, on September 12, 2022. (Thomas Coex/ AFP)

Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ at Heart of Battle in Spain Over Location

Pablo Picasso's anti-war masterpiece "Guernica" is swept up in a conflict in Spain, where Basque leaders want the government in Madrid to move the painting to…

Culture Cultural Development Fund Reports Strong Q1 2026 Growth and Impact

Cultural Development Fund Reports Strong Q1 2026 Growth and Impact

The Cultural Development Fund has announced its results for the first quarter of 2026, demonstrating significant growth in financial performance and…

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Culture The pavilion highlighted the distinctive architectural features of Historic Jeddah - SPA

Historic Jeddah Showcases Cultural Heritage at Umrah and Ziyarah Forum

Historic Jeddah participated in the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum to highlight its historical role as a key gateway for pilgrims to Makkah, while introducing…

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Culture  Maiko (apprentice geisha) take part in a press interview ahead a rehearsal for the annual "Miyako Odori" -- which means "capital city dance" in Japanese, at the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo in Kyoto on March 31, 2026. (AFP)

Geisha Spectacle in Japan’s Kyoto Celebrates Arrival of Spring

Against a backdrop of blooming cherry blossoms, a group of geishas elegantly shuffle onto a stage in Japan's Kyoto city to begin a centuries-old performance…

Culture  Morten Johansen, head of maritime archaeology at Denmark's Viking Ship Museum, shows a metal insignia recovered from the wreck of Danish flagship "Dannebroge" that sank during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP)

Danish Warship Sunk by Nelson’s British Fleet Discovered After 225 Years

More than 200 years after being sunk by Adm. Horatio Nelson and the British fleet, a Danish warship has been discovered on the seabed of Copenhagen Harbor by…

Culture A police officer stands by a stolen artifact from Romania, the 2,500-year-old Cotofenesti helmet, recovered in Netherlands, is shown during a press conference in Assen, Netherlands, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Aleksandar Furtula)

Priceless Ancient Golden Helmet Stolen from Dutch Museum Is Recovered

A priceless ancient golden helmet from Romania stolen last year from a museum in the Netherlands has been recovered, Dutch authorities announced Thursday. …

Culture The Traditional Arts Festival 2026 is drawing strong crowds of visitors and tourists in Diriyah. (SPA)

Traditional Arts Festival Reinforces National Identity, Highlights Performance Traditions

The Traditional Arts Festival 2026, organized by the Ministry of Culture, is drawing strong crowds of visitors and tourists in Diriyah amid pleasant spring…

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Culture An Iraqi worker excavates a rock-carving relief recently found at the Mashki Gate, one of the monumental gates to the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, on the outskirts of what is today the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on October 19, 2022. (AFP)

Archaeologists Forced by Middle East War to Cut Short Iraq Digs

Iraq is home to ruins from some of the world's earliest civilizations, but teams led by international archaeologists have been forced by drone and rocket…

Culture A visitor looks at works by Auguste Renoir during the press review of the exhibition 'Renoir the draughtsman at 'the Orsay museum, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Thieves Steal Paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse from Italian Private Museum

Thieves made off with three paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse worth millions of euros (dollars) from a museum near the city of Parma in northern Italy,…

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Culture  First responders inspect a residential building hit in an earlier US-Israeli strike in Tehran, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP)

Iran Says US, Israeli Strikes Damage 120 Museums, Historic Buildings

US and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged at least 120 culturally or historically significant sites across the country since the start of the war, the head…

Culture The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Culture Ministry Launches UK-KSA Arabian Peninsula Cultural Research Fellowships

The Ministry of Culture has launched the UK-KSA Arabian Peninsula Cultural Research Fellowships in partnership with Effat University and the National Archives…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture Culture Ministry Signs Partnership with Guildhall School of Music & Drama for Riyadh University of Arts

Culture Ministry Signs Partnership with Guildhall School of Music & Drama for Riyadh University of Arts

The Ministry of Culture signed on Thursday a partnership with Guildhall School of Music & Drama for Riyadh University of Arts (RUA)’s College of Music. The…

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Culture A photo taken in Prague's National Museum shows a 3D scanner in the Archa III (Ark Project) truck on March 24, 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic. (AFP)

Czech ‘Arks’ Help Preserve Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage

The National Museum in Prague on Tuesday unveiled a van containing a 3D scanning device that will soon travel to war-ravaged Ukraine to help preserve its…

Culture This photograph taken on March 23, 2026, shows smoke as it rises from the site of an Israeli air strike at the background of the archaeological site of the ruins of the Phoenician Port in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre. (AFP)

In Lebanon’s Tyre, Ancient Site Threatened by Israeli Bombs

At an archaeological site in southern Lebanon's Tyre, small signs bearing a blue and white emblem provide a symbolic shield, meant to protect the ancient ruins…

Culture  This photograph taken on February 2, 2026 shows a hospitality staff arranging tableware at the Dharampura Haveli, an 18th-century haveli-turned-heritage hotel in the old quarters of Delhi. (AFP)

India’s Historic Haveli Homes Caught Between Revival and Ruin

Once the grand residences of Mughal-era nobility, the Indian capital's haveli homes now stand at a fragile crossroads -- a handful lovingly restored but many…

Culture Charcoal irons were once a common household tool in village homes over six decades ago - SPA

Charcoal Irons Illustrate Traditional Ironing Practices in Saudi Arabia’s Old Villages

Charcoal irons were once a common household tool in village homes over six decades ago, serving as the only way to iron clothes before they gradually fell out…

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Culture The activities will run through March 27 to revitalize the palace - SPA

Cultural and Heritage Events Launched at King Abdulaziz Palace in Qibah, Qassim

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, has launched a series of cultural and heritage…

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Culture  The event featured booths showcasing local artisans, food, and a photography corner - SPA

Heritage, Arts, and Entertainment Mark Sakaka's Eid Al-Fitr Celebrations

Eid Al-Fitr celebrations organized by Al-Jouf Municipality wrapped up after three days of events at Sakaka Public Park. The festivities drew large crowds…

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Culture Mors Imperator (Death is the Ruler) is seen as a powerful allegory of death and power, and was misinterpreted in the late 19th century (the Alte Nationalgalerie museum)

Painting that Shocked German Society Finally Returns to Berlin

More than 100 years after Mors Imperator caused a scandal in 1887 amid fears it mocked the German kaiser, the painting is being displayed in a state museum in…

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Culture Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) held a three-day festive program. SPA

Saudi Arabia: DGDA Held Eid Cultural Program Across Diriyah

The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) held a three-day festive program celebrating Eid Al-Fitr from Friday to Sunday for residents and visitors of all…

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Culture Artwork entitled "Autoportrait au chapeau de paille" by French artist Henri Matisse on display during the exhibition "Matisse 1941-1954" at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, 19 March 2026. (EPA)

Matisse’s Last Years Cut Out -- But Not Pasted -- At Paris Expo

The final years of Henri Matisse's artistic life, marked by the Nazi occupation of France and a brush with death and surgery, will light up a twilight…

Culture Türkiye's is waging an increasingly assertive campaign to recover antiquities illegally taken abroad. Ozan KOSE / AFP

Türkiye in Cultural Diplomacy Push to Bring History Home

When an ancient bronze statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius landed back on Turkish soil after decades abroad, it was more than a symbolic homecoming. It…

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Culture An aerial view of the of the Monte Verde archaeological site in southern Peru, in this 2023 photograph released on March 18, 2026. Todd Surovell/via REUTERS

Study Suggests Younger Age for Chile's Important Monte Verde Archaeological Site

The Monte Verde archaeological site in Chile, discovered in the 1970s, revolutionized the thinking about when humans entered the Americas, with scientists…

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