Al-Hajir, also known as Madain Saleh , is located in the sector of Al-Ula in Hejaz, Saudi Arabia. It was archaeological site extends over an area of about 60 hectares. The 131 rock-cut monumental tombs, with their elaborately ornamented façades of the Nabatean kingdom, will attract the tourist. These immortal monuments in the Madain Saleh made by the ancient Nabateans, who inhabited this region between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD, are the only hallmarks of these civilizations.
In 2008, UNESCO recognized Madain Saleh as a World Heritage Site. It was the first World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia.
Tombs carved neatly into rocks and still tell tales of those lying in them of kings, dignitaries, and traders who, for centuries, held the rules of politics and commerce of the Incense Road. Thamud people inhabited this land during the days of Salih. Salih was the prophet of the Thamud people who built their homes into the cliffs of the area. In the Islamic text, Thamud people are punished by Allah for their idol worship.
Madain Saleh damaged by earthquake and bomb blasts. This site receives the name as a cursed place. National Government of Saudi Arabia takes steps to renovate this site as a great tourist spot. This largest open-air archaeological site uncovers its secrets despite the efforts of scholars and archaeologists.
