BURAIDAH, 18 April — Survey teams have identified more than 500 historical sites in the Qassim province which can be developed into tourist centers, according to Saleh Abdullah Al-Tuwaijri, the director general of education in the region.
“Under the directives of Qassim Governor Prince Faisal ibn Bandar, our surveying teams have completed visits to all historical and toursistic places of the region,” said Al-Tuwaijri who is also the chairman of the local tourism committee.
“This high number reflects the importance of the region which is considered one of the most important historical locations in the Kingdom,” he said. Qassim is rich in architectural heritage and historical monuments because it was the meeting point of the east and west of Arabia.
Al-Tuwaijri has called upon businessmen throughout the country to invest in tourism projects in Qassim.
One of the most important historical sites in Qassim is the 1,200-year-old Zubaida Road used by pilgrims from Iraq and Persia in the northeast to Makkah in the west.
Zubaida, the wife of Abbasid caliph Haroon Al-Rasheed, had built the road with water wells to serve pilgrims along their route. Some of these wells are located in Qassim.
Another attraction is Mared Palace in Al-Asyah region, some 50 kilometers east of regional capital Buraidah. This huge palace has great historical appeal since it dates back to 9th century and reveals what must have been one of the largest palaces in Arabia.
