A. Sutherland – AncientPages.com – Located 20 km (12.4 mi) north of the Al-`Ula town, 400 km (248.5 mi) north-west of Medina, and 500 km (310.7 mi) south-east of Petra, in modern-day Jordan, the remarkable ancient site Mada’in Saleh in Saudi Arabia continues to impress the modem world.
Madain Saleh is the first World Heritage site.
It contains many magnificent tombs and monuments that reflect the great skills of the masons of their time. Mada’in Saleh also called Al-Hijr or Hegra dates back to the Nabataean civilization that flourished between the second and fourth century BC.
This beautiful place is considered as one of the ´most important archaeological sites in Saudi Arabia and is called “The Capital of the Monuments”. The site constitutes the kingdom’s southernmost and largest settlement after Petra (modern-day Jordan).
With its 111 monumental tombs, 94 of which are decorated, and water wells, the site is an outstanding example of the Nabataeans’ architectural accomplishment and hydraulic expertise.
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