RIJAL ALMAA - SAUDI ARABIA'S GINGERBREAD VILLAGE
16 Jul 2023 || MIDDLE EAST | SAUDI ARABIA
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Tucked away in the misty mountains of ‘Asir, southern Saudi Arabia, is the quaint gingerbread-style village of Rijal Almaa. This 10th century, architecturally distinct settlement was traditionally an important natural corridor route between Yemen and the eastern Mediterranean. Recently renovated, it is now home to one of Saudi Arabia’s oldest museums, established in 1985.
This tentative UNESCO designated site and UNWTO recognised ‘Best Tourism Village’, set in a verdant narrow valley, is a visual masterpiece. The 60 towering multistorey buildings of Rijal Almaa, stacked on the slope of the surrounding mountain are breathtaking. Displaying trademark colourful windows, dotted at regular intervals on the contrasting dark and light brickwork, it’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
One of the most beautiful places in Saudi Arabia, Rijal Almaa is a can’t-miss destination. It is a top pick for any trip to Abha, the nearest major city. Here are our thoughts on one of the most unique villages in Saudi Arabia.
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IN THIS GUIDE //
Rijal Almaa - A Gingerbread Village
WHERE IS RIJAL ALMAA?
RIJAL ALMAA – GINGERBREAD HOUSE ARCHITECTURE
THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF COLOUR
HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF RIJAL ALMAA
– RIJAL ALMAA IN WAR
– RIJAL ALMAA IN PEACE AND PILGRIMAGE
BEST PLACE TO STAY
BEST TIME TO VISIT RIJAL ALMAA
GETTING TO RIJAL ALMAA
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING YOUR VISIT
– THE RIJAL ALMAA MUSEUM
NEARBY RIJAL ALMAA
FINAL THOUGHTS
WHERE IS RIJAL ALMAA?
The Rijal Almaa Heritage site is positioned in the bend of a narrow gorge in the village proper of Rijal Almaa. This ancient village is the capital of the Rijal Almaa Governorate and is situated 49 kilometres west of the capital of southern Saudi Arabia’s ‘Asir region, Abha.
Abha, home to the nearest international airport, connects domestically to major cities in Saudi Arabia. These include Jeddah, Dammam, Riyadh and Tabuk, and also internationally to the U.A.E. and Egypt.
‘Asir/Aseer apparently translates as ‘south’ or ‘difficult’. I’m not sure which is correct for this region because both could be accurate descriptions of the geography!
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Rijal Almaa – Gingerbread Village Architecture
The elegant and distinctively styled, visually aesthetic structures at Rijal Almaa tell of a grand history and one of great wealth, cultivated from the trade with passing merchant caravans.
The multi-tiered, chequerboard buildings have been likened to gingerbread houses. Their local basalt rock construction has windows and doors luxuriously accented with luminous white sugar-quartz. With extensive preservation efforts from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), these distinguished features at the Rijal Almaa living museum are now mostly renovated.
Rijal Almaa’s unique vernacular architectural design resembles villages and towns found over the border in Yemen, a country known for its Yemenite high-rise ‘townhouse’ style structures. In Yemen’s capital Sana’a, the Old City shows off similar beautiful tower buildings, with intricate white trims.
This fascinating resemblance to modern high-rise buildings cannot be ignored. In an ancient world that was heavily nomadic and transient, the residents of Rijal Almaa created homes that had small bases, rising 20 metres with up to eight storeys. This is, interestingly, quite a modern, sophisticated concept.
THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF COLOUR
Throughout the village, beyond the instantly recognisable painted windows and quartz decorations, there is more subtle, detailed woodwork which adorns the vibrant sculpted doorways and window frames.
Within the primary-coloured windows and thick walls at Rijal Almaa lie a plethora of colourful murals. The interior of the forts were traditionally decorated in the 200-year-old ‘Al-Qatt Al-Asiri’ (or Al-Qut) style, a technique developed and applied by women. Originally achieved using pigments extracted from indigenous herbs and flowers, these vivid, bright geometric patterns of diamonds, triangles and squares can be seen all over the region, not just within Rijal Almaa’s walls.
The emphasis on colour in this culture extends far beyond the buildings. Men in the Qahtan tribe who reside in Rijal Almaa do not wear the traditional plain white Saudi thobe, but colourful, stripey regional attire. Called a futa, it resembles a skirt or wrap. They also adorn ornate floral wreaths, for reasons of health and beauty, which have earned them the nickname ‘Flower Men of Saudi Arabia’.
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HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF RIJAL ALMAA
The origin of Rijal Almaa (variously translated as ‘The Brightest Men’ or ‘The Men of the Region’) dates back almost 1000 years.
Beyond its striking architecture, Rijal Almaa was responsible for shaping the cultural and political landscape of the region due to its unique geographical position. The prominence of this ‘hanging village’ on such harsh, difficult to reach and isolated terrain offered the advantage of being a deterrent for raiders and provided autonomy from other tribes.
⋅ RIJAL ALMAA IN WAR ⋅
The region of Rijal Almaa has been involved or mentioned in wars, conflicts and divisive events throughout its history. Soldiers from Rijal Almaa’s tribes are described in historical texts of early Muslim conquests in the 7th century. These accounts continue through the ages to the 17th century, depicting epic battles with the Ottoman Empire, where Asiri tribes defeat the invading enemy and gain independence for ‘Asir.
Over centuries, the success and bravery of the tribespeople of Rijal Almaa has been legendary. It has been suggested that the name ‘Asir, which translates as ‘difficult’, does not only relate to the rugged terrain, but also the resilience of the citizens who live in it.
To this day, defensive watchtowers dot the surrounding hillsides of Rijal Almaa, reminding visitors of an age where the twisting trails brought not just tradesmen and pilgrims, but hostile soldiers too.
⋅ RIJAL ALMAA IN PEACE AND PILGRIMAGE ⋅
Rijal Almaa was a culture immersed in trade, situated along the ancient perfume and incense routes, primarily between the Levant and Yemen.
The incense route, originating 4000 years ago, passed through the Nabataean Kingdom, including Petra and Hegra in the north. It continued all the way to the ‘Asir region and Rijal Almaa, then further south into Yemen. This historical merchant trail transited extremely valuable commodities such as Arabian frankincense and myrrh between the southern Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, all the way to Mesopotamia in the north.
As a prominent commercial centre for spices, incense and grains, Rijal Almaa serviced regions across the equivalent of modern-day Asia, Africa and Europe. In the village itself, there were goods sold from India, Europe, Africa and even supplies from as far east as Japan.
Under the increasing influence of Islam, Rijal Almaa was also ideally situated on the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage routes to Makkah and Madinah. This saw the village become a stop for pilgrims from the African continent and the Arabian Peninsula.
BEST PLACE TO STAY FOR A VISIT TO RIJAL ALMAA
Most people who visit Rijal Almaa stay in Abha. It’s a major town with many accommodation options, along with restaurants, malls, shops and an international airport. There are lots of hotel and apartment choices to suit all budgets and tastes.
We stayed in Abha for five nights and didn’t have an issue finding decent quality food and a comfortable hotel.
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Best Time to Visit Rijal Almaa
Unlike much of Saudi Arabia, the temperatures in the ‘Asir region surrounding Rijal Almaa stay temperate up in the mountains, even during summer.
We visited in March and the temperatures were comfortable, but it did rain a lot (rivers in the street amounts). Our entire time in the ‘Asir region was moody, cloudy, foggy and excessively rainy. March and April are known to be wet (half the rain throughout the year falls during this period) so we should not have been surprised by the rainfall!
Summer holidays in Abha, however, are popular with Saudi Arabian citizens as the temperatures are far more moderate than in Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh at that time of year. This means it can be relatively busy with domestic tourism.
The winter months can be very chilly in the mountains – snow is not unheard of (we saw some in March between Taif and Abha).
GETTING TO RIJAL ALMAA
The most efficient and enjoyable way to reach Rijal Almaa is by rental car. There are lots of car rental companies based in Abha; we used Discover Cars for the three separate rentals so far in Saudi Arabia and fully recommend them.
Roads in the ‘Asir region west of Abha are steep, mountainous and precipitous routes. Although extremely fun to drive, they require some care and attention during bad weather. We drove through thick fog and heavy rain which can be challenging (less likely to happen if you visit during summer!).
It is also possible to hire a private driver to reach Rijal Almaa. This is easy to do via Get Your Guide or enquire with your accommodation of choice. Friends of ours have used Couchsurfing a lot in Saudi Arabia and often got to tour the local attractions with their hosts!
Hitchhiking is a safe and easy way to get around Saudi Arabia, however we do not have experience of this on the winding, sinuous mountain roads surrounding Abha. I feel confident that getting to-and-from the area around Rijal Almaa via hitchhiking would be possible though.
There is a cable car from Soudah/Sawda National Park, a beautiful mountainous region to the east of Rijal Almaa and home to Saudi Arabia’s highest peak. However, the cost is prohibitively expensive (in our opinion!) so we didn’t take this option. It’s 550 to 800 SAR, depending on the number of people, which is £110 to £165!
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR SAUDI ARABIA TRIP
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What to expect during A visit to Rijal Almaa
The entry fee to Rijal Almaa heritage village and museum costs 20 SAR (about £4) per person (we paid with cash). Opening hours are 08:00 – 20:00 (although this appears to vary with the season). The ticket office is located centrally at the bottom of one of the middle buildings, next to the small shop.
Currently, the site is in the spotlight to encourage more international visitors to southern Saudi Arabia as part of the Saudi 2030
