Saudi Arabia Builds Concert Hall In The Middle Of The Desert To Attract Tourists
A city as old as time itself, Al-Ula, north of the Arabian Peninsula, is a meeting point of different, ancient civilizations, an archaeological hot spot. Some scholars even go further, considering it ‘the archaeological jewel of the Kingdom’; it is perhaps one of the lesser-known destinations of Saudi Arabia that shows its historical depth. The government has recently decided to revamp the area and show the heritage of the Kingdom to the world.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site hosted the Winter at
Al-Maraya Platform, the newest concert hall in Saudi Arabia, was built amidst the dunes of the Arabian desert. With walls made of mirrors, reflecting the golden sandstone hills and cliffs captures the beauty of the desert in its reflections. It has seen performances from eight international artists, including Mohamed Abdou, Andrea Bocelli, Yanni, Majda Al-Roumi, and a 3D hologram performance of the Planet of the East Umm Kulthum.
The new concert hall is at the center of an area call Mada’in Saleh, a collection of a hundred and more archaic tombstones carved into the hillside to take the golden glow of the desert sunset. These are the tombs of the Nabateans; the same people who carved the world-renowned sandstone city of Petra in Jordan. The tombstones date back two millenniums.
In total, about 30,000 individuals attended the festival’s weekend events. They were scheduled to end by the 9th of February, but seeing the public’s appeal, it was decided to be extended two more weeks until the 23rd.
The festival “has allowed the people of Al-Ula to proudly show their home to the world,” said Abdullah al-Khelawi, the Royal Commission’s Head of Economic D
Saudi Arabia is opening up to the world, making tourism visas more available to foreigners, and perhaps by time, we will see the Kingdom taking more steps like this one to showcase the country’s hidden beauty.
