Al-Qaisariya Souk, pictured above, is one of the sites in Al-Ahsa that will soon be undergoing a revamp.

Six programs have been instituted to restore ancient sites in Al-Ahsa province.

Al-Ahsa Mayor Adel Al-Mulhem said in a press statement that the sites include Al-Qaisariya Souk, Al-Haddadin Street next to the souk, the area surrounding Al-Madrasah Al-Emiriah, and some buildings in the Hofuf historic area.

The plan is to use traditional and local designs to create facades for some of the buildings in Hofuf and Mubriz. There would also be several events launched for tourists over the coming period, he said.

Al-Mulhem said the Hofuf Historic Municipality would be launched next Sunday, aimed at preserving the area’s architectural heritage. This is the first time a municipality has been set up solely for this purpose, he said.

There are four World Heritage sites in the country, including Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madain Salih) in 2008, At-Turaif District in Ad-Dir’iyah in 2010, Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah in 2014 and Rock Art in the Hail region in 2015.

There have been 10 sites submitted for inclusion in 2015 including Darb Zubayda (Pilgrim Road from Kufa to Makkah), Hejaz Railway, Syrian Haj Road, Egyptian Haj Road, Al-Faw Pre-Islamic City in Central Arabia (Qariah), Rijal Almaa Heritage Village in Asir Region, Zee Ain Heritage Village in Al-Baha Region, Al-Ahsa Oasis Cultural Heritage Landscape, the Hima rock art site in Najran, and Dumat Al-Jandal Historic Oasis in Al-Jawf region.

Only countries that have signed the World Heritage Convention, pledging to protect their natural and cultural heritage, can submit nomination proposals for properties on their territory for inclusion on the United Nations’ World Heritage List.

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