The Journey Through Time Masterplan marks a major step in protecting and sharing the AlUla cultural and heritage site with the world
PR88894
ALULA, Saudi Arabia, April 8, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
- Five unique districts, connected by a 20km-long public realm called the Wadi
of Hospitality, will protect 200,000 years of natural and human history across
the 20km-long core historical area of AlUla, a unique cultural landscape
located in north-west Arabia, encompassing a wadi (seasonal river valley) and
culminating in the Nabataean city of Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The first masterplan in a series for AlUla is conceived as a Living Museum
and includes 15 new cultural assets, a 9km rejuvenated Cultural Oasis, 10
million square meters of green and open spaces, and a 46km low-carbon tramway,
while contributing to AlUla's hospitality offer with 5,000 additional hotel
keys.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Chairman of the Royal
Commission for AlUla, today launched The Journey Through Time Masterplan for
AlUla, Saudi Arabia that will immerse visitors in 200,000 years of natural and
human history.
To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:
The Journey Through Time design and spatial visionary masterplan sets out a
15-year programme to responsibly and sustainably develop the core historical
area of AlUla, a unique cultural landscape located in north-west Arabia.
The plan contributes to the advancement of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, opening
a new chapter in the development of AlUla as a Living Museum while accelerating
the growth of a diversified economy and vibrant community.
The Journey Through Time Masterplan will transform AlUla into a global
destination for heritage, nature, art and culture. Key features of the plan are:
-- Five districts spanning the 20km heart of AlUla will serve as waypoints
on the Journey Through Time, from Old Town in the south to Hegra
Historical City in the north, each shaped by the site's natural and
cultural heritage. The districts are: AlUla Old Town (District 1); Dadan
(District 2); Jabal Ikmah (District 3); Nabataean Horizon (District 4)
and Hegra Historical City (District 5).
-- The districts will each focus on an existing heritage site and will be
traversed by AlUla's ancient oasis. A 9km portion, constituting the
heart of the Cultural Oasis, will be fully rejuvenated, starting in
AlUla Old Town.
-- Fifteen new cultural assets including museums, galleries and cultural
centres will serve as landmarks across each district.
-- The 20km Wadi of Hospitality running along the ancient oasis's bed will
connect the five districts and act as the green pedestrian 'spine' of
The Journey Through Time.
-- A 46km low-carbon tram line will connect AlUla International Airport to
the five districts. A scenic roadway as well as bicycle, equestrian and
pedestrian trails will promote a smooth and experiential approach to
mobility, championing low-carbon journeys.
-- The wadi and the low-carbon tramway will mostly follow the route used by
pilgrims on the Hijaz Railway for many centuries before, ensuring a
memorable visual and interpretive experience of the transition from
oasis to desert.
-- Adding a total of 5,000 additional room keys into the overall target of
9,400 keys by 2035, each district will offer its own tailored blend of
living and hospitality options, ranging from hotels and eco-tourism
resorts to luxury lodges and canyon farms carved into the sandstone
rocks.
-- The Kingdoms Institute, a flagship component of the plan, will be a
global hub for archaeological knowledge and research dedicated to the
cultures and civilisations that have inhabited this area for more than
7,000 years, including the ancient kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan and the
magnificent Nabataeans, who built the city of Hegra, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
The Journey Through Time Masterplan was developed under the leadership of HRH
the Crown Prince and the guidance of HH Prince Badr, the Saudi Minister of
Culture and the Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU).
The Journey Through Time Masterplan was envisioned as a way to capture the
deep-rooted essence of what AlUla already is - an oasis of unique culture,
heritage, nature and community – while curating a timeless legacy with stories
of the past to inform the future and open new chapters in AlUla's unfolding
history.
Each district of The Journey Through Time Masterplan is a cultural landmark in
its own right and reflective of the singular and ever-evolving history,
topography and nature that is unique to that particular location. This spatial
system of highly differentiated villages, experiences and cultural assets is
designed to be visitor-centric and rewards more immersive discovery,
exploration and longer stays.
Symbolising Saudi Arabia's renewed commitment to the preservation and
protection of world heritage, knowledge and research, the masterplan is backed
by extensive scientific studies on AlUla's human patterns, environmental and
geological evolution, developed by a team of international and Saudi experts.
As a direct response to the challenges of sustainably and responsibly
developing a fragile desert environment, the replenishment of the 9km core
Cultural Oasis - through research and innovative solutions - will be a key
element of the masterplan. Contributing to the Saudi Green Initiative, the
regeneration of AlUla is underpinned by a strategy to rehabilitate the land and
reverse the course of desertification in the area. Enabling a major expansion
of AlUla's green and open spaces up to 10 million square meters, it will
provide a haven for AlUla's archaeological sites, an opportunity for
sustainable agricultural production as well as an enchanting experience for
visitors.
Together, two flagship projects of the masterplan – the Kingdoms Institute and
the Cultural Oasis – reflect Saudi Arabia's commitment to offer the world a
viable model for protecting, preserving and contributing to the world's
cultural and natural legacy.
Creating a new, balanced view of concepts such as protection, conservation,
restoration, regeneration and development, the AlUla Sustainability Charter
sets the ground for an innovative and integrated approach to sustainability.
The Charter includes, at the heart of the masterplan, a zero-carbon policy
coupled with circular economy principles, and robust resiliency policies around
development in heritage and environmentally sensitive areas, as well as flood
and improved water management and vegetation planting.
First and foremost an investment in AlUla's citizens and their future, the
masterplan embodies RCU's commitment to community inclusivity. Fully embedded
within the plan, new community-driven services, amenities as well as cultural
and educational facilities will together create a stronger tourism, cultural
and agricultural economy for AlUla. The economic growth will not only grow
AlUla's pool of talents within a local community that has acted as guardians of
ancestral values, techniques, and traditions over millennia, it will also
nurture a thriving and vibrant society in a great place to live, work and
explore.
The Journey Through Time Masterplan is the first in a series of plans for AlUla
and constitutes the first and most important part of AlUla's development. It
will be implemented in three phases until 2035, while the first phase is set to
be completed by 2023, aiming to provide a comprehensive visitor-centric
experience.
Upon completion of the wider development strategy for AlUla in 2035, 38,000 new
jobs amid a population grown to 130,000 will have been created while AlUla will
contribute SAR 120 billion to the Kingdom's GDP (USD 32 billion). Additionally,
80 percent of AlUla County will have been designated as nature reserves with
key flora and fauna reintroduced.
It will achieve this through income generated by welcoming two million visitors
annually, offering 9,400 hotel keys in total, and further promoting
agriculture, arts and culture and tourism as key economic drivers for AlUla.
Unique opportunities will further encourage and accelerate business and
investment from partners who share RCU's values of sustainability, responsible
development and community inclusivity.
About AlUla
Located 1,100km from Riyadh in north-west Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of
extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km²,
includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural
heritage sites dating back thousands of years.
The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first
UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal
southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and is comprised of nearly 100
well-preserved tombs with elaborate facades cut into sandstone outcrops.
Current research suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Romans
after conquering the Nabataeans in 106 CE.
In addition to Hegra, AlUla is home to a series of fascinating historical and
archaeological sites such as: an Old Town surrounded by an ancient oasis,
Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms, which is considered one of
the most developed 1st-millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula;
thousands of ancient rock art sites and inscriptions in Jabal Ikmah; and Hijaz
Railway stations.
Note to editors:
Kingdoms Institute is plural, not possessive.
It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula.
About the Royal Commission for AlUla
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July
2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and
cultural significance in North-West Saudi Arabia. RCU's long-term plan outlines
a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic
development, that preserves the area's natural and historic heritage, while
establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This
encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture,
education and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic
diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation
priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.
About AFALULA (French Agency for AlUla development)
RCU worked closely with its partner, The French Agency for AlUla Development
(AFALULA), on the development of the masterplan. AFALULA was founded in Paris
in July 2018 following an intergovernmental agreement signed by France and
Saudi Arabia in April of that year. AFALULA aims to support its Saudi partner,
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), in the co-construction of the economic,
touristic and cultural development of AlUla, a region located in the North-West
of Saudi Arabia which benefits from outstanding natural and cultural heritage.
The agency's mission is to mobilise French knowledge and expertise and to
gather the finest operators and companies in the fields of archaeology,
museography, architecture, environment, tourism, hospitality, infrastructure,
education, security, agriculture, botany and the sustainable management of
natural resources.
Other RCU development work
Over the past three years, RCU conducted other development work with multiple
partners around the world. This included expanding capacity by 300 percent at
AlUla's international airport which has welcomed its first international flight
recently, and building Maraya, the award-winning multi-purpose conference and
entertainment venue. The 500-seat Maraya, the world's largest mirrored
building, has hosted global signature events, such as the Hegra Conference of
Nobel Laureates and the Winter at Tantora cultural festivals, which featured
artists including Andrea Bocelli and Lang Lang. Additionally, previously
announced signature hospitality projects include the development of luxury
resorts in partnership with Accor/Banyan Tree, Habitas, and Jean Nouvel.
For more information, please refer to the RCU Factsheet.
Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1482749/Journey_Through_Time.mp4
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1480528/Royal_Commission_for_AlUla.jpg
SOURCE Royal Commission for AlUla for Saudi Arabia
CONTACT: Saad AlMatrafi, +966505417382, S.almatrafi@rcu.gov.sa
本プレスリリースは発表元が入力した原稿をそのまま掲載しております。また、プレスリリースへのお問い合わせは発表元に直接お願いいたします。
このプレスリリースには、報道機関向けの情報があります。
プレス会員登録を行うと、広報担当者の連絡先や、イベント・記者会見の情報など、報道機関だけに公開する情報が閲覧できるようになります。