Saudi Arabia

Editor's choice: Saudi Arabia highlights

This collection highlights Saudi Arabia’s most significant landmarks, ranging from the holiest sites in Islam to ancient archaeological wonders. It features the Great Mosque of Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, alongside the UNESCO-listed Nabataean tombs of Hegra. Historical fortifications like Masmak Fort and Tabuk Castle illustrate the region's defensive past, while modern engineering is represented by Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre and the stilted Al Rahma Mosque on the Red Sea coast.

Tab59 / CC BY-SA 2.0

Kaaba musharrafah

The Kaaba, sometimes referred to as al-Ka'ba al-Musharrafa, is a stone building at the center of Islam's most important mosque and holiest…

Al Jazeera English / CC BY-SA 2.0

Great Mosque of Mecca

The world's largest mosque surrounds the Kaaba and serves as the primary destination for the Hajj pilgrimage. It houses the Zamzam Well, the Black Stone, and the hills of Safa and Marwa within its expansive prayer grounds.

بلال الدويك / CC BY-SA 3.0

Prophet's Mosque

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, known in English as the Prophet's Mosque, is a mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the city of Medina in…

Richard.hargas / CC BY-SA 4.0

Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih)

Hegra, also known as Mada’in Salih, is an archaeological site located in the area of Al-'Ula within Medina Province in the Hejaz region,…

DearEdward / CC BY 2.0

Masmak

The Masmak Fort, also called the Masmak Fortress or Masmak Palace, is a historic clay and mudbrick fort in the ad-Dirah neighborhood of…

Homoludens / CC-BY-SA-3.0

National Museum of Saudi Arabia

The National Museum of Saudi Arabia is a national museum located in the al-Murabba neighborhood of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Mmasudtu / CC BY-SA 4.0

Shubra Palace

Built in 1905, this former royal residence in Taif features a blend of Hijazi and neoclassical architecture. It now serves as a museum housing regional artifacts and historical documents from the founding of the modern kingdom.

Mardetanha / CC BY-SA 3.0

Maqam Ibrahim

The Maqām Ibrāhīm is a small square stone associated with Ibrahim, Ismail and their building of the Kaaba in what is now the Great Mosque…

Nacizane / CC BY 2.0

Cave of Hira

Hira may refer to:

Tripomatic User / CC-BY-SA

Floating Mosque (Al Rahma Mosque)

Constructed in 1985 on the Jeddah Corniche, this mosque is built on concrete stilts over the Red Sea. It features a bright white facade and a turquoise dome, appearing to float during high tide.

Tabuk Castle

This Ottoman-era fortress, dating back to 1559, was originally built to protect a vital water station for pilgrims. The restored structure now contains a museum showcasing the history of the Tabuk region.

Ahmad2099 / CC BY 2.5

Mosque Al-Qiblatayn - Mosque of the Two Qiblas

The Masjid al-Qiblatayn, also spelt Masjid al-Qiblatain, is a mosque in Medina believed by Muslims to be the place where the final Islamic…

ignacio malapitan / CC BY-SA 3.0

Kingdom Centre

A 302-meter skyscraper in Riyadh distinguished by its inverted parabolic arch and a 56-meter sky bridge. The building serves as a multi-use complex containing a high-end shopping mall, a hotel, and panoramic observation decks.