RIYADH: The Kingdom’s Heritage Commission has registered 41 new archaeological and historical sites in the National Antiquities Register, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The registration of heritage sites is part of the commission’s efforts to discover, document, record and preserve Saudi Arabia’s heritage and historical sites.
The locations are in Taif governorate and its affiliated centers. They include palaces and traditional houses, as well as villages, castles, museums, towers, mosques, markets, and historical schools.
The most prominent sites are King Abdulaziz Palace in Al-Muwayh, Suleiman Mosque, Abdullah bin Abbas Mosque, the city center of Taif, and Souk Okaz.
Jasser Al-Harbash, CEO of the Heritage Commission, said that the body was taking steps toward discovering and documenting historical sites in all regions of the Kingdom, registering them in the National Antiquities Register, archiving and digitizing them, and then adding them to an advanced digital record.
The commission aims to build a special database for registered archaeological sites. It has also called on the public to report any newly discovered historical locations through the Balagh platform.
A nationwide conservation strategy has been established by the commission covering four categories: antiquities, urban heritage, handicrafts, and intangible cultural heritage.
The International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day, is celebrated each year on April 18, including in Saudi Arabia.
