Rijal Almaa: Saudi Arabia’s 900-Year-Old "Gingerbread Village"

A Grassroots Rescue Mission

The preservation of Rijal Almaa was a massive effort born directly from the love of its own people.

• Saving History: In 1985, local residents pooled their own resources and physical labor to save their ancestral history from rural flight and rapid modernization.
• Al Elwan Fort: They established a community-led heritage museum inside the tallest, four-century-old fortress in the village.
• A Treasure Trove: Today, the museum houses over 2,000 artifacts, including ancient manuscripts, historic weaponry, and intricate silver jewelry.

...[ Continue to next page ] By: Amita Kalsi