Abha
Encyclopedia
Abha is the capital of Asir province in Saudi Arabia
. It is situated at 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) above sea level in the fertile mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia near the National Park of Asir. Its mild climate makes it a popular tourist destination
for Saudis. According to 2004 census figures it has a population of 201,912 with an estimate of 252,126 for 2009.
Abha has a well known marketplace
, which is open daily. The market is always busy with activity and people moving about. The locals bargain for goods like: fruits, vegetables, and coffee beans among other items. Local specialty items like ornate silver
Bedouin
jewelry or hand-woven baskets are also available.
Abha (Ebha) served as the administrative center of the 'Asir province during the 2nd period of Ottoman control.
The area is subject to rain, sometimes heavy, some of its neighboring villages and rural areas are sometimes the witnesses of flash-floods during the winter. The cooler weather, comparatively to the rest of the peninsula, makes it an attraction point during the summer.
Abha is the administrative capital of the Asir region, therefore home to the governorate of Asir. All Government departments are located there. Also there are extensive medical and educational facilities. King Khalid University
and Prince Sultan College for Hotel Management are located in Abha. There is a regional international airport in Abha that has direct flights to Jeddah
, Taif, Riyadh
, Dammam
, Dubai
and Cairo
. Al Watan, which is one of the main Saudi daily newspapers, has its head office and printing presses in Abha.
is to the south, unlike the Adnanis of the rest of Saudi Arabia. Islam
is the religion of almost the totality of the Abhans.
died on stage during a performance in Abha.
The old Shadda Palace
, thought to have been built around 1820, has been converted to a museum.
Cable cars have been installed in the city and its surroundings providing a view of the landscape.
The village of Rijaal Almaa, a 40 minute drive down the mountains to the west of Abha, contains 5 and six storey traditional houses dating 400–600 years old built from local stone and quartz. One of the houses has been converted to a museum, contains examples of traditional women's and men's attire, ornamentation, farm implements, household utensils, and even old jailers' implements for restraining 'culprits'. Entrance fee 10 saudi riyals.
There are two ways of reaching Rijaal Almaa, straight down the Asir mountains through Sawdah or going around the hills on highways 5 and 211.
The first option will save you some time although it is increadibly steep and has turns of 180+ degrees. Good brakes and good steering are a must. It is by far more dangerous than the Taif hills. Even though taking the highway means flat terrain, it also implies heavy traffic and more drivers avoiding the hills. Take into account that international driving standards and common sense are not as common, so extreme caution is suggested.
A lively weekly traditional Tuesday market takes place in the centre of Abha, near the Al Mafteheh tourist complex. The market contains local produce wares, spices and clothes, with buyers and sellers coming from regional areas, including a decreasing number of traditionally dressed Tihama men in striped sarong and with their long oiled hair ringlets capped by circlets of herbs and flowers, which gives them their other colloquial name "Flower men of the Tihama".
Only 35 minutes drive south from Abha Airport is the Al Habbalah village. Inhabited until the 1970s, the traditional stone and thatch houses perch precariously on narrow terrace edges down the side of an escarpment. Previously only reached by ropes and pulleys, a modern telephrique (cable car) now allows visitors access and a modern tourist centre has been built. The houses are slowly being restored and some now are accessible. Cost of the cable car is 45 saudi riyals. The Al-Habalah Park opens after 1pm on Fridays (after prayer).
At the city center a soothing place for an evening shisha, tea and coffe is the Green Mountain, also equiped with a cable car.
On high terrain and with green lights, it is easy to find at night. 30 saudi riyals entrance fee per car.
Paragliding has become and increasingly popular sport. Winter sees pilots launch from Jebel Al Hudda near Muhayil, a one hour drive north of Abha towards the Tihama. In summer pilots launch from the purpose built launch site near the intercontinental hotel. With the gracious patronage of the Emirs of Assir, a four day paragliding competition takes place at this launch site on Jebel Al Sooda, some 2500 metres above sea level, during the summer Assir Festival.
It is highly recommended to rent a car at the airport to be out and about at your leisure. Cars are inexpensive and can be hired at around 200 saudi riyals per day. Only Saudi driving licenses are accepted, not even international ones.
Abha is enclosed by a ring road which gets you everywhere. Although there are no english signs, a little arabic will get you a long way.
When asking for directions always remember Alatul: Straight, Yamin: Turn right, Yasar: Turn left.
is a public university in Abha, Saudi Arabia
founded in 1999 of merging Imam Muhammed Bin Saud University of Islamic Studies and King Saud University of The South.
acts in Saudi Arabia
.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. It is situated at 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) above sea level in the fertile mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia near the National Park of Asir. Its mild climate makes it a popular tourist destination
Tourist destination
A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."...
for Saudis. According to 2004 census figures it has a population of 201,912 with an estimate of 252,126 for 2009.
History
Abha's homes are made of stone and mud and were built by hand. Some homes are over 300 years old and still inhabited. The slight graduation from one layer to the next gives these houses the overall impression of truncated pyramids. Foundations are usually stones. The houses are built in shelf-like, overlapping, vertical rows that act as rain guides, keeping the rain from saturating the walls and washing them away. Al Namas is one of the city.Abha has a well known marketplace
Marketplace
A marketplace is the space, actual, virtual or metaphorical, in which a market operates. The term is also used in a trademark law context to denote the actual consumer environment, ie. the 'real world' in which products and services are provided and consumed.-Marketplaces and street markets:A...
, which is open daily. The market is always busy with activity and people moving about. The locals bargain for goods like: fruits, vegetables, and coffee beans among other items. Local specialty items like ornate silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
jewelry or hand-woven baskets are also available.
Abha (Ebha) served as the administrative center of the 'Asir province during the 2nd period of Ottoman control.
Geography
Abha is located in the Southern Region of Asir, it is highly elevated and it is home to the culminating point in Saudi Arabia, Jabal Al Sooda (the Black mountain) which stands at 3000 meters high.The area is subject to rain, sometimes heavy, some of its neighboring villages and rural areas are sometimes the witnesses of flash-floods during the winter. The cooler weather, comparatively to the rest of the peninsula, makes it an attraction point during the summer.
Abha is the administrative capital of the Asir region, therefore home to the governorate of Asir. All Government departments are located there. Also there are extensive medical and educational facilities. King Khalid University
King Khalid University
King Khalid University is a public university ,located in Abha, in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. a city located in the southwest of the country...
and Prince Sultan College for Hotel Management are located in Abha. There is a regional international airport in Abha that has direct flights to Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, Taif, Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
, Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. Al Watan, which is one of the main Saudi daily newspapers, has its head office and printing presses in Abha.
Ethnography
The inhabitants of Abha, like that of Asir and southwestern Saudi Arabia in general, are Qahtanis, or pure Arabs, like the YemenYemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
is to the south, unlike the Adnanis of the rest of Saudi Arabia. Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
is the religion of almost the totality of the Abhans.
Tourism
The Saudi government has been promoting Abha as a tourist destination and has created events, such as the Abha Festival during the summer, to draw people to the city. Events are organized to attract visitors to discover the city and its surroundings, such as sporting events, shows, exhibitions and musical performances by famous Arabic poets and singers. Artist Talal MaddahTalal Maddah
Talal Maddah was a well-known Saudi musician and composer. He was named Maddah after his mother's family. His fans coined him the nickname the Earth's voice , and he is also known as "The Golden Throat"...
died on stage during a performance in Abha.
The old Shadda Palace
Shadda Palace
Shadda Palace was the main ruling palace in Abha, Saudi Arabia. It was established around 1820.It has now been converted to a museum....
, thought to have been built around 1820, has been converted to a museum.
Cable cars have been installed in the city and its surroundings providing a view of the landscape.
The village of Rijaal Almaa, a 40 minute drive down the mountains to the west of Abha, contains 5 and six storey traditional houses dating 400–600 years old built from local stone and quartz. One of the houses has been converted to a museum, contains examples of traditional women's and men's attire, ornamentation, farm implements, household utensils, and even old jailers' implements for restraining 'culprits'. Entrance fee 10 saudi riyals.
There are two ways of reaching Rijaal Almaa, straight down the Asir mountains through Sawdah or going around the hills on highways 5 and 211.
The first option will save you some time although it is increadibly steep and has turns of 180+ degrees. Good brakes and good steering are a must. It is by far more dangerous than the Taif hills. Even though taking the highway means flat terrain, it also implies heavy traffic and more drivers avoiding the hills. Take into account that international driving standards and common sense are not as common, so extreme caution is suggested.
A lively weekly traditional Tuesday market takes place in the centre of Abha, near the Al Mafteheh tourist complex. The market contains local produce wares, spices and clothes, with buyers and sellers coming from regional areas, including a decreasing number of traditionally dressed Tihama men in striped sarong and with their long oiled hair ringlets capped by circlets of herbs and flowers, which gives them their other colloquial name "Flower men of the Tihama".
Only 35 minutes drive south from Abha Airport is the Al Habbalah village. Inhabited until the 1970s, the traditional stone and thatch houses perch precariously on narrow terrace edges down the side of an escarpment. Previously only reached by ropes and pulleys, a modern telephrique (cable car) now allows visitors access and a modern tourist centre has been built. The houses are slowly being restored and some now are accessible. Cost of the cable car is 45 saudi riyals. The Al-Habalah Park opens after 1pm on Fridays (after prayer).
At the city center a soothing place for an evening shisha, tea and coffe is the Green Mountain, also equiped with a cable car.
On high terrain and with green lights, it is easy to find at night. 30 saudi riyals entrance fee per car.
Paragliding has become and increasingly popular sport. Winter sees pilots launch from Jebel Al Hudda near Muhayil, a one hour drive north of Abha towards the Tihama. In summer pilots launch from the purpose built launch site near the intercontinental hotel. With the gracious patronage of the Emirs of Assir, a four day paragliding competition takes place at this launch site on Jebel Al Sooda, some 2500 metres above sea level, during the summer Assir Festival.
It is highly recommended to rent a car at the airport to be out and about at your leisure. Cars are inexpensive and can be hired at around 200 saudi riyals per day. Only Saudi driving licenses are accepted, not even international ones.
Abha is enclosed by a ring road which gets you everywhere. Although there are no english signs, a little arabic will get you a long way.
When asking for directions always remember Alatul: Straight, Yamin: Turn right, Yasar: Turn left.
Education
King Khalid UniversityKing Khalid University
King Khalid University is a public university ,located in Abha, in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. a city located in the southwest of the country...
is a public university in Abha, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
founded in 1999 of merging Imam Muhammed Bin Saud University of Islamic Studies and King Saud University of The South.
Executions
On January 1, 2002, three men were beheaded in Abha for sodomy. These executions are the most recent publicized account of the death penalty being carried out as punishment for homosexualHomosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
acts in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Climate
The climate of Abha is semi-arid and it is influenced by city's high elevation. However, in stark contrast to a large portion of Saudi Arabia, the climate in Abha is both cooler and wetter. The city is generally mild throughout the year, though it’s noticeably cooler during the “low-sun” season. Abha seldom sees temperatures rise above 35 C during the course of the year. The city averages 600 mm of rainfall annually, with the bulk of the precipitation occurring between June and October.External links
- http://www.ee77ee.com/vb, Splendid Arabia, An Online Guide to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Tor Eigeland, Back to the highlands, 1980, Saudi Aramco World