ThePlace: Judaya Fortress, in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Rass governorate

Photo/Saudi Press Agency

• Judaya Fortress was built from more than 13,000 mud bricks and a range of hard rocks, a construction method that was to become widely adopted

Qassim province is characterized by its numerous heritage sites, some of which have been transformed by citizens into private museums.
These independent museums have contributed to preserving and showcasing the region’s history and culture, often with the support of the former Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), now the Ministry of Tourism.
Al-Rass governorate is home to the Judaya Fortress which has become a popular destination for history buffs.
Covering an area of 70,000 square kilometers, the governorate is situated 350 km northwest of the capital Riyadh and for centuries the area has been a key trade corridor for convoys headed between the north and east of the Arabian Peninsula.
Judaya Fortress was built from more than 13,000 mud bricks and a range of hard rocks, a construction method that was to become widely adopted. It contains a number of buildings, heritage rooms, a popular market, and residential houses.
Its exhibits and antiquities reveal the way of life and customs of the citizens of Qassim and Al-Rass down through the ages with a particular emphasis on professions and clothes.
The fortress covers an area of 6,250 square meters and houses more than 30,000 heritage objects gathered by Khaled bin Mohammed Al-Jedai, a resident of Al-Rass who since his childhood had dreamt of running a private museum.