Thee Ain Marble Village

This 10th century Marble Village is nestled in the Sarawat mountains, a 30-minute drive from the city of Al Baha, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The zigzag road is in excellent condition & promises breathtaking views of the lush mountainside. The old village itself is a beauty to marvel at with its picturesque gardens & stone homes, which complement the natural splendour around them. The air is filled with butterflies, birdsong, & the sweet fragrance of the fruit orchards below it. The village name is derived from the Arabic word for spring (Ain) as the village is fed by a permanent fresh water spring - a rarity in the Kingdom - distunguishing it from other historical villages in the region. The village is fortified by mountains on all sides and a boundary wall much needed during the rife tribal wars of its earlier years. The village is designed with interconnecting stairs & corridors between close knit houses of one to four stories tall. The distinct village is hewn from marble, stone, & Al Khulba clay made by the local women. The clay insulates from heat in Summer and stays warm in winter, maintaining a temperature of roughly 25 degrees celsius. The carefully engraved doors and windows are carved of juniper or juniper trees. The village has gardens & designed its own irrigation system for agriculture using the spring water to grow bananas, lemons, basil, & other produce all year round. This village remained inhabited until 1985. 🍂If you plan on visiting : -Do it in winter or in the evenings because it is quite a warm place! -Be sure to stop at the very informative visitors centre. -Wear good shoes! There is a lot of climbing and some loose stones. The Saudis are very welcoming. Take time to push through broken conversations and see how kind-hearted the ordinary citizens are. You will be rewarded with generous hospitality. Where language divides, coffee unites! We joined a picnic with these local gentlemen shortly after this pic was snapped. This gem is definitely one of our favourite finds in KSA. Have you visited Thee Ain? Would you like to? Are you surprised to see such a place in Saudi Arabia? Let us know all your thoughts below!