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Mount Athleb is located in the northern part
of Bint (Girl) Castle. This collection is locally called “Al-Athaleth
Mountain”. This mountain contains the following:
Adiwan - It is a large diwan engraved in the
rocks. Local people call it Yuan Abu Zeid and some of them call
it “Sultan’s Majlis”. They are local names related to some myths
and stories narrated in the area and not based upon scientific
facts. The diwan is one of the wonderful features in Madain
Saleh and considered by many archaeologists as the main place of
worship in the region because of the presence of many temples
and religious signs in the area. The narrow corridor adjacent to
the diwan is one of the rock wonderlands where this temple is
located. Inside Adiwan to the left, there is water reservoir for
collecting rainwater through a water conduit carved in the
gullies and the surrounding hills.
Area A Tombs - This range of mountains is
located to the north of Bint (Girl) Castle. It has no specific
name. It is composed of three mountains including 14 graves. The
first mountain lies to the left side from the castle heading to
the North. It has six graves at close spaces starting from
southern side of the mountain. They have different forms and
sizes. The second mountain lies to the east of the mountain and
separates from the first one by road that links Diwan area to
Hejaz Railway Station to the Islamic Castle north of the
monumental area. This mountain includes five graves, three of
them situated to the west of the mountain, one to the south and
the fifth is facing eastward. The third mountain is located to
the east of the second mountain. It contains three graves and
effects of cutting stones for building, which indicates that the
site had been use as a quarry.
Nabataean Well – It is located behind the
mountain of Area A Tombs on the way to the Islamic Castle and
Hejaz Railway Station. It is engrave in the sandy rocks at a
depth of 30 meters and fed by a canal carved in stone, which
flows unto it during rainfall. Until recently, neighboring farms
irrigated from this well by the machines. It ceased to be use
only after the deportation of the local population to their new
farms in north. There are also other wells in Madain Saleh
distributed to the old monumental area, some of them still
visible and some is compacted.
Al-Fareed (Unique) Palace - This grave is
located in the southern part of the monumental area. It is a
large grave occupying a large and distinctive single rock. It is
named Al-Fareed Palace because it is engraved in a single rock
and for the architectural element that is not available in any
other façade i.e. two Nabataeans columns in the middle of the
façade of the northern rock in addition to the lateral columns.
What distinguishes this grave from the other is that it is
located in a sole independent rock.
Area C Tomb - This is cares is located almost
at the centre of Madain Saleh, southwest of the Girl's Castle.
It consists of two blocs of rock, the first is large and
contains 18 tombs, the other is a small one containing only one
grave and it is different in terms of artistic and creative
standards. From inside, all of them contain tombs sculptured in
their interior walls or etched their burial ground.
Al-Sane’a Palace - It is located at the
beginning of and the southern part of the fenced monumental area
near the main gate. It consists of two small hills to the right
and left upon entering. The graveyard to the left of the visitor
is called Al-Sane’a Tomb by the local people, which has no
scientific basis. It is rather link to the story of Bint Castle.
It is one of the archaeological sites visited by tourists when
visiting Madain Saleh.
Khuraimat Area - This group of tombs is located
in the western part of the monumental areas after Sane’ Palace
northwards. It is the second group of tombs experienced by
tourists at the entrance of the monumental area. The number of
graves in this area is 53, distributed to a range of small
mountains. The facades there are different in terms of arts,
sculpture, architecture and decoration. Because of the nature of
sandy rocks, erosion factors such as wind and rain it affects
some facades and graves of this group.
Salemeh - Salemeh group of tombs is located
almost in the center of monumental area. It is almost without
facades or any architectural arts. This suggests that it was for
poor people. It can be access after visiting Khuraimat area.
Al-Jouz (Old Woman) Palace - This group of
tombs lies southwest of the Bint Castle in an independent rocky
mass. It is similar in concept to Adiwan Palace as it contains a
wide-open hole to the north within which certain niches or
sculptured holes. We have no information on the meaning of the
name.
Marbat Al-Faras - It is a natural rock
underneath of the erosion factors formed a shape of a tree
composing almost a rocky leg because of drills below it. It is
located in the center of the fenced area and it is has a
wonderful form.
Hejaz Railway Station - Hejaz Railway Station
is located in the northern part of the fenced monumental area.
It was key major station of Hejaz Railway built by Sultan Abdul
Hamid II, the last of the Ottoman caliphs. This railway extends
from Istanbul, Turkey to Madinah. The approximate age of the
station is more than 100 years. It has many buildings including
service building, locomotives repair facilities, military
housing, warehouses, WC’s and water tank near Islamic Castle,
post offices and wire telephone service. There are some stalled
vehicles and full steam engine inside the station.
Islamic Castle - It is located in the northern
part of the fenced monumental area. It is one of the castles
built on the pilgrimage and mail road in the era of the
Abbasids. Their ages estimated are more than 700 years old. It
has nothing to do with the monuments existing in Al-Hijr.
Inside, there is mosque, small rooms for housing and beacons for
the control, observation and guarding. At the vicinity of the
castle, a well can be access from within by castle through a
vault linking the outside well going inside. There is also a
large pool for the storage of water and pilgrims use to drink
beside it.
Mount Huwara - Mount Huwara is located in
Madain Saleh outside the fenced area. This mountain can be seen
from anywhere in Madain Saleh because it is unique and very
high. It is located to the left of the paved road leading to
Shalal Village to the north. It can be reach by tourist regular
cars. It is a wonderful place to spend time at the shadow of the
mountain, which is similar to magnificent skyscrapers. It is
believed that this name took from the dialogue of the Prophet
Saleh’s She-Camel when it was killed by the wicked people near
this mountain and rose above it -- and Allah knows well.
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