Al-Ghat of Saudi Arabia qualifies as green oasis.

Al-Ghat Governor Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Sidayri with Abdulrazaq Al-Hezami

By Abdulrazaq Al-Hezami (with photos) ALGHAT, Saudi Arabia, Oct 11 (KUNA) -- Al-Ghat governorate is a green oasis in the Riyadh region in central Saudi Arabia and it has a rich culture and history dating back as early as the Thamud era.Al-Ghat sits on fertile land of around one million palm trees in over 3,000 farms. The name of the area comes from the Arabic word (laghat) meaning the sound of strong pouring water which flows into the valleys, Al-Ghat Governor Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Sidayri told KUNA.Situated 250 km northwest of Riyadh, the area has beautiful scenery and geographical features due to the majestic Tuwayq Mountain which rises 800 meters above sea level, in addition to valleys, green farmlands, and ground water resources, Al-Sidayri said.Al-Ghat is located south east of Al-Mojamma state, and west of Al-Qassim and has a long history of trade with Kuwait.Moreover, Al-Ghat includes historical monuments such as the old governor's palace which was constructed in the 19th century and represents Najd Architecture. The palace still boasts of wooden doors and windows imported from Kuwait which are still in good shape.Numerous relics, stone writings, and stone paintings were found in the region going back to the time of Thamud, ancient people of Arabia who were mentioned in the Quran, the official remarked.A cultural village is currently being built in Al-Ghat in cooperation with the Saudi General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities and property owners in order to restore their houses and turn them into an attractive tourism spot, Al-Sidayri said.Moreover, a national resort which stretches over 40 square kilometers is near completion and would be the Kingdom's top resort in terms of variety of desert flora.A number of projects are also in planning phase, such as a walking track which stretches over 15 kms, a spot for mountain hiking, a spot for camping, for camel riding, and other activities.Al-Sidayri also mentioned the governorate's Al-Rahmaniya cultural center which includes the library of Prince Abdulrahman bin Ahmad Al-Sidayri and the auditorium of Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, noting the center is open before all those interested in knowledge and research.

All KUNA right are reserved 2007.

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company