The remaining buildings in Unaizah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Unayzah is located in the Qassim region in the center of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and its geographical location in the past had a great role in becoming a passage for commercial caravans and pilgrims convoys coming from Iraq heading to Mecca to perform Hajj and Umrah and there are still historical evidence on this and archaeological remains that prove the presence of pilgrims and commercial caravans.

Unayzah includes many archaeological and heritage monuments such as Al-Bassam Heritage Palace, Al Hamdan Heritage House, Al-Khuraizah Mosque, Al-Jawz Mosque and the Great Mosque, and it has a minaret that overlooks all parts of the old city and is considered one of the prominent landmarks in Unaizah Governorate, in addition to the site of Zubaydah, Qasr Al-Sanqar and Al-Ain Palace.

Many European travelers visited Unayzah, who - although they came for mostly political purposes - described the features of this city, including: George Foster Sadiler (1819), Carlo Claudio Guarmani (1864), Charles Doughty (1878), Charles Huber (1880), Baron Eduard von Nolde (1893), Harry St. John Bridger Phillby (Abdullah Phillby) (1918) and Amin al-Rayhani (1922).

The research aims to shed light on the urban heritage in Unaizah, which includes religious and civil buildings and military rulings, through two axes: the first provides a description of the remaining buildings in it in the light of what was written by European travelers, and the second provides an analytical study of urban planning and the architectural elements of these buildings.