By Yana Murash
Time goes by so fast. We blink and we miss a lot of moments; a lot of opportunities. But there are places that let us travel back in time if only for a day or a moment. Set foot in Ushaiger Heritage Village. Blink and feast your eyes with Saudi Arabia’s history, culture, and heritage in one of its oldest towns.
If you are ever visiting Saudi Arabia, you must visit the remarkable historical village of Ushaiger located 200 km north of Riyadh. This village lies in the heart of the Najd, the central plateau of the Arabian Peninsula. Ushaiger means “small blonde”, and the village was named after the color of a small hill which lays at the north of the village. Although it is made of red rock, locals say the Arabic word for red could also be used for blonde in the old days. The village, now being restored by its residents and their descendants, is organized into seven districts.
At the entrance to the village you are greeted by a huge wooden gate set in a red mud wall. This huge wall continues all around village acting as its security fence. With Ushaiger’s over 400 mud houses, you will see unique doors decorated with traditional geometric shapes. Behind many doors are internal courtyards, some with gardens and orchards, where the rustle of palm trees brings you back to a time long gone but never forgotten.
With a little adventure and careful walking, some of the buildings and courtyards can be explored. There are two water wells in the village, now dry at their depth. Alongside each well is a 15 to 20 meter long dual camel track, where the desert animals once walked to and fro to raise buckets of water to irrigate the land and provide water to the people.
In the center of the village, some residents have opened up their homes as museums where vintage items are displayed to reveal how they lived back in the day. Several prominent persons of history, art and culture call Ushaiger their home. These include Islamic scholar Sheikh Al-Othaimeen and preacher Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahab, as well as prominent tribes and families like the Al-Thani, Al-Elsheikh, and Al-Misnad.
After a historical and cultural immersion, Ushaiger provides relaxing spots to guests. There are some small shops for souvenirs and snacks, and two very enjoyable cafes.
One café serves a wide range of food from local recipes handed from generation to generation, under the cover of palm fronds, giving cooler air and shade from the sun. The other café offers tea and Arabic coffee, with tables and chairs arranged in secluded positions in the gardens and walkways. In the evenings, these are traded for carpets and cushions on several stone platforms that overlook the central stream.
The area where Ushaiger is located is close to amazing red sand dunes which flow and change with the winds. A day trip to Ushaiger is a must for every resident and tourist in the Kingdom.
While the sands of time trickle, the “small blonde” also lives on.
