RIYADH: Several diplomats toured the historic Al-Ula site recently to see the old Hejaz railway and the recreated villages from the country’s past.

Al-Ula, about 350 km north of Madinah, is well known for its archaeological sites, while the Hejaz railway once linked Damascus with Madinah and was used by pilgrims traveling from Istanbul via the Syrian capital. The Kingdom is keen to rebuild the railway.

The tour was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH), an official from the tourism body said on Sunday.

He said the diplomats visited the Al-Hijir site in Madain Saleh, one of the most important archaeological sites in the Kingdom and also the first location to be listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

The tour included a visit to the Haj Route Museum at the Islamic Castle, Al-Hejaz Railway Station Museum, and the Al-Khoraiba archaeological site, which has been rehabilitated recently by the SCTNH.

They were also taken to the heritage village in Al-Ula, where they saw the ongoing restoration and rehabilitation work in the village being carried out by the SCTNH under the “Heritage Villages and Towns Development Program.”

The diplomatic visitors were earlier welcomed by a local folklore band, who presented a show for them including a presentation of horse riding skills. They were met by Al-Ula Mayor Saad Al-Sehaimi and SCTNH local branch director Sultan Al-Ghari.

Ziauddin Said Bamakhrama, Djibouti’s ambassador, who is the dean of the Diplomatic Corps, led the delegation.