Al-Baha’s Ancient Stone Villages Keep Heritage Alive, Inspire Contemporary Architecture
AL-BAHA, August 02, 2025, — The Al-Baha province in southwest Saudi Arabia remains one of the most fascinating destinations, drawing tourists with its centuries-old stone residences in ancient villages such as Thee Ain and Al-Mousa. Constructed using local rock and sculpted by the local mountain terrain, the homes present a testimony to the creativity and resourcefulness of generations ago.
Built with thick stone walls to provide thermal insulation, wooden roofs of juniper and sidr, and narrow windows for climate regulation, these buildings are an extraordinary example of conventional southern architecture. Their ability to weather time and weather has transformed them into lasting icons of the region’s cultural and environmental balance.
“These houses are not merely structures they’re a cultural and spatial memory,” stated Mohammed Al-Zahrani, manager of a heritage village in Al-Baha. “They reflect the social fabric, the economic history, and architectural ingenuity of our forefathers, who utilized the natural landscape as inspiration and as resource.”
Now, these ancient houses are not just relics but sites of ongoing cultural tourism and education. Al-Zahrani emphasized the importance of preservation and restoration work, stating that preserving their architectural form not only pays respect to the past but inspires contemporary architects to take design cues from traditional forms for modern projects.
While Saudi Arabia increases its heritage tourism efforts, Al-Baha’s stone villages are living testaments to history, sustainability, and human ingenuity.
verified from sources:spa
