Thee Ain is one of the most beautiful, from charming and ancient villages. The village is situated in Saudi Arabia’s Al Baha region and offers a glimpse into the vibrant history and culture of the region. Popularly referred to as the “Marble Village,” it is perched on the top of a rocky white marble hill. The village offers breathtaking views of the surrounding areas with zigzag alleyways and old houses.
With a unique and striking design, Thee Ain features a stone-built architectural style reflected in its carefully-paved stone corridors. It has 49 houses, built from volcanic rock and mud-brick, with mud acting as an adhesive. The ancient village was made using a load-bearing wall system called Medamik. Its structures are roofed using sider wood, while the big rooms are roofed with columns called ‘Al-zafer.’
Thee Ain is a 400-year-old village that played host to several massive tribal battles before the country’s unification by King Abdul Aziz. The most famous battle in this region was when the collective force of Zahran and Ghamd tribes clashed with the Turkish army led by Muhammad Ali Pasha. This battle ended with the Turks being defeated. The village still houses the Turks’ tombs, known as ‘Turk’s graves.’ Around 30 to 40 years ago, the village was abandoned entirely, leaving it in a half-ruin state as it is today.
Once we reached Thee Ain, we wanted to recharge our batteries, and we realized that our generator fuel pump was probably not working anymore. But to our luck, the friendly staff in the museum allowed us to connect our charging cable to the mosque.
Parking location – Thee Ain: 19.931858N 41.443058E (🚻,🔌,💦)