Najran Data
Tourism
Attractions: There are many attractions for tourists. The most famous attraction is the AL-Okhdood city which holds some archeological remains of a great city. Although this city was a trade exchange point on the old caravan road, it is always remembered for a major historic event which was possibly the first holocaust in history where thousands of local people were burned alive not in gas chambers but in a big ditch (called Okhdood in Arabic) filled with fire. The city was invaded and occupied in the 6th century by a radical tyrant Jewish king ruling the neighboring land of Yemen. He tried to force the Christian people of Najran to convert to Judaism but they refused so he brutally punished them pushing them and dumping them alive into fire. There is a small museum at the entrance of the site which displays some artifacts from the city.
Another attraction for visitors is the dam which used to be the largest on land dam in the middle-east. It was built by a French company during the 70’s of last century. It is located at the far west side of Najran in a narrow mountain area. The road connects to it through some mountain tunnels. There is a big artificial lake behind the dam and a stream of water is flowing to the valley. The scenery gets very attractive during rainy seasons.
There are many other attractions but the region is an attraction by itself whether driving around the sides of the valley, the mountains of the north, the old villages, visiting the old market. Spending afternoon in the nearby deserts if the car is 4W drive will be unforgettable.Culture
Customs and Traditions: Najran is very rich in traditions and customs that are deep rooted to the past. Although some traditions are not being practiced today due to young generations are acquainted to modern lifestyles but other people are trying to preserve these customs as part of culture.
There are seasonal celebrations during the holidays of the Eid including folklore dancing accompanied by gun fire (now prohibited), horse racing and other activities. Marriage celebrations are also carried in a traditional way. Special occasions are also conducted in a traditional way, for example, resolving dispute between groups of people is conducted in a ceremonial way which involves specific protocols and practices.
During celebrations, the people arranging the ceremony and invited guests from outer territory dress in a unique fashion where they carry a dagger wrapped around their waists and carry revolvers and guns.
There are also food recipes and preparation styles that are unique to Najran and some of them are mainly tied with special occasions such as Ramadan time.
History
Najran consider one of the oldest cities in Saudi Arabia beside Mecca and Al-Madinah(the holy cities). Najran has more than 300.000 people all of them under the Islam rilegen. It is located in the South of Saudi Arabia. Najran history is very unique. It's people are famous of the courge and generosity. How Najran become a Saudi City? Najran one of the last cities that has become under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia when king Abdu Aziz, the person who found this country, signed a peace treatment with its people.
Najran gift of nature and beauty of its tender beauty and purity of its airspace and air and the magic place, they met at the site where the terrain and climate and the rights and history. Nature granted Najran Badea diversified climate and topography: agricultural, mountainous and desert to an area of 365 thousand kilometres between longitude 44 degrees and 17 degrees, introduced in south-western part of the Kingdom, and the level elevations ranging between 900 - 1800 meters and embraces the warmth of Najran, who has spread from west to east in plate Not only emerges from the ground.
Of the nomination of Najran stories:
First: The theater is in Najran Ritaj section,
The second: the proportion of old housing and a person called Zidane Najran Ben Ben Ben Saba deplores Ben expresses bin Qahtan and historically played a role Najran important trade thanks to its location where the important center for trade in spices and incense have been many invasions of the region to control Finally, in the year 24 BC - m Exposed to the Roman invasion (Lewis Galios), but did not take long survival of the Romans in Najran much The religious Jewish Christians have preceded the Najran (according to some accounts) and that by a person named (Amnon), and perhaps the first explicit reference to Najran mentioned in the Koran at Al-Burooj of Groove and its people, who live under the rule of Najran State donkeys and after the emergence of Islam sent a messenger God (peace be upon him), Khalid Bin Al Waleed to the Bani al-Harith Ibn Ka'b to invite them to Islam in response to a call right.
The Najran many disturbances as in the rest of the Arabian Peninsula and entered many wars with its neighbours remained govern themselves according to tribal laws and customs that came from the Twenty-e-Rahim in 1350 the people of Najran and declared their loyalty to the state of Saudi Arabia.