A short update on one of the components, AlUla Old Town. It is now open to visitors although (re)construction works are still going on at the lower parts and men in yellow vests and hard hats are a common sight. These troops of Pakistani migrant workers really know their way with adobe!

The upper road (“Market Street”) has been turned into a wide shopping and entertainment street with restaurant terraces and live music. There are also a few information panels that hint at the former importance of the town, which was at a strategic position on trade and Hajj routes from the 12th to the 20th centuries. For the pilgrims, this may just have been a resting place – I did not notice any sites of specific religious importance.

A structure that stands out is the small stone castle that towers above the town. It is said to have 10th-century origins. Like the town that was considered a safe place to spend the night (the city gates were closed during the night), it provided a secure place for example for storing goods.