AlUla Old Town: The Abandoned Mud-Brick City You Can Now Walk Through

AlUla Old Town is one of the most atmospheric heritage sites in Saudi Arabia - and one of the least-known outside the country. A 13th-century settlement of mud-brick houses, mosques, and market lanes, it was continuously inhabited for around 700 years before its residents relocated to modern AlUla in the 1980s. Today it is being carefully restored by the Royal Commission for AlUla and opened to visitors.

Walking through it feels genuinely different from the reconstructed heritage villages that populate many tourist sites. The scale is human, the materials are local, and the traces of real habitation - door frames worn smooth, storage niches cut into walls, water channels running under alleyways - are everywhere. It rewards slow, attentive exploration.

History of AlUla Old Town

The settlement at this location traces back at least to the 13th century, though the area around AlUla has been inhabited for far longer. AlUla sits in the Wadi Al-Qura (Valley of Villages), a fertile corridor that was a significant waypoint on the incense trade route connecting Yemen with the Levant. The Nabataeans built Hegra (Mada’in Saleh) nearby in the first century BCE; Dadan was an even earlier civilisation in the same valley.

AlUla Old Town as a distinct settlement grew in the medieval Islamic period, organically expanding over centuries as the population grew and different tribal groups established their own residential quarters. At its peak, the town comprised around 900 houses, several mosques, a citadel, and a market district - home to thousands of people.

The town was structured around water management. The valley floor has a reliable underground water table, and the settlement was designed to channel, store, and distribute irrigation water to the palm groves that formed the agricultural base of the community. Many of the narrow lanes double as water channels - a detail that becomes clear when you examine the stone-flagged lower paths.

The move to modern AlUla: By the 1980s, residents had been steadily relocating to the adjacent modern settlement, with its concrete houses, electricity connections, and vehicle-accessible roads. By around 1985, the old town was essentially empty. The mud-brick structures, without maintenance, began a slow process of erosion. Some sections collapsed entirely.

The Restoration Project

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), established in 2017, identified Old Town restoration as a priority. The restoration philosophy has been conservation-first - stabilising existing structures, reinforcing rather than rebuilding, and using traditional materials (mud, straw, local sandstone) wherever possible.

This is a gradual project. As of 2026, large portions of the old town are accessible and well-maintained; other sections remain in various states of stabilisation. Visitors should expect to encounter areas under restoration and should follow site markings - some structures are unstable.

The restoration has also involved extensive archaeological documentation - surveying, cataloguing inscriptions, and recording construction methods before they are lost. Some of this documentation is presented at the AlUla Heritage Museum, which is worth visiting alongside the old town.

What to See in AlUla Old Town

The main market street (Al-Suq): The former commercial heart of the settlement, where merchants traded in spices, textiles, and agricultural produce. Some of the building facades here have been particularly well-restored, with carved doorframes and small windows designed to minimise heat.

The old mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Ateeq): A small pre-Ottoman mosque in the centre of the settlement. The prayer hall is modest in scale but atmospheric - clean whitewashed walls, simple columns, and a mihrab (prayer niche) indicating the direction of Mecca. Non-Muslim visitors can generally view the exterior and, during quiet periods, the interior - be respectful and check current access protocols.

The citadel (Musa’ab bin Umayr Castle): Sitting on the ridge above the settlement, the citadel provided defensive oversight of the valley and was used during various periods of regional conflict. The climb is worth it for the view across the palm groves and old town rooftops. The structure dates in its current form to the Ottoman period, though the site had earlier defensive works.

Residential quarters: The domestic areas are where the social organisation of the settlement is most readable - different tribal groups occupied distinct quarters, with shared courtyards creating community space within each neighbourhood. Door heights vary (lower doors slowed entry in conflicts), and you will see niches in walls that once held oil lamps.

Water channels and palm groves: Walking down toward the agricultural fringe of the settlement reveals the irrigation infrastructure - channels cut into bedrock, distribution pools, and the dense palm groves they sustained. AlUla’s dates remain an important local product.

Street art and contemporary interventions: As part of AlUla’s cultural programming, some structures have been used as canvases for contemporary art commissions - murals and installations that sit alongside the historical fabric. These are more visible during festival season.

Opening Hours and Entry Fees

Opening hours: Approximately 09:00 to 17:00 year-round, with extended evening hours during the Winter at Tantora festival (December through March). Hours change seasonally and are best confirmed through the Experience AlUla app or website before your visit. During Ramadan, daytime hours may be reduced.

Entry fees: AlUla Old Town is included in the Heritage Experience ticket managed by the Royal Commission for AlUla. The ticket price was approximately SAR 95 per adult as of 2026, though this is subject to change and may vary for bundled tickets that include multiple sites (Hegra, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah). Children under 12 have been admitted free in most recent ticketing structures.

Book tickets in advance through the Experience AlUla platform (experiencealula.com) - this is the official RCU booking system. Tickets have occasionally sold out during festival weekends and school holiday periods.

Guided Tours vs Self-Guided

Self-guided: The site has information boards in Arabic and English at key points. Navigation is fairly intuitive - the settlement is compact and the main lanes are clearly maintained. A self-guided visit works well if you are comfortable exploring without extensive historical context.

Guided tour: RCU-licensed guides add considerable depth. A good guide explains which architectural details belong to which historical period, identifies the tribal quarter boundaries, explains the water system logic, and translates inscriptions and carved motifs that are otherwise opaque. Tours run approximately 90 minutes and are bookable through the Experience AlUla platform.

Combined tours: Many operators in AlUla offer a Heritage Trail day that combines Old Town, Dadan, Jabal Ikmah, and sometimes Hegra. If you have one full day for AlUla’s heritage, this is an efficient way to cover the key sites.

Practical Visitor Notes

Footwear: The lane surfaces are uneven - packed earth, stone flags, and dried mud. Comfortable walking shoes or trainers are appropriate. Sandals work but require care.

Clothing: AlUla is a conservative environment. Cover shoulders and knees. Women should carry a scarf. The old town is not a place where beach or resort clothing is appropriate.

Heat management: Midday temperatures in summer can exceed 42°C. The narrow lanes provide shade, but exposed areas around the citadel are open to full sun. Carry water, and visit in the morning or late afternoon in summer months. Winter visits (December through February) are comfortable throughout the day.

Photography: Photography is permitted throughout the old town for personal use. The RCU requests respectful photography - avoid photographing restoration workers without permission. The light is best in early morning (soft shadows in the lanes) and late afternoon.

Accessibility: The site is not fully accessible for wheelchair users or those with significant mobility limitations. The main market street is manageable, but the citadel climb and some residential quarter lanes are uneven and steep.

Getting to AlUla Old Town

AlUla Old Town sits adjacent to the modern town centre - the two settlements are effectively neighbours. From AlUla’s main hotels and resorts, the journey is 5–15 minutes by car. There is dedicated parking at the heritage site entrance. The site is also within walking distance of the main AlUla hotel cluster if you are staying centrally.

Taxis and Uber are available from AlUla’s airport and hotels. Most organised tours include pickup from major hotels.

What to Combine With AlUla Old Town

AlUla Old Town pairs naturally with:

• Elephant Rock (Jabal AlFil): 11 km north, best visited late afternoon for the light. See our Elephant Rock guide
• Dadan and Jabal Ikmah: Archaeological sites 5–10 minutes from Old Town, part of the same AlUla heritage circuit
• Hegra (Mada’in Saleh): UNESCO World Heritage Site, 20 km north - typically a half-day in its own right
• AlUla food guide: The modern town has a growing café scene and some excellent traditional restaurants around the heritage area - see our AlUla food guide