Hijaz Railway Station

AlUla has a long history of being a destination of discovery, travel, and journey. There is a well-known and significant valley that has been in the Wadi AlQura since ancient times. The holy towns of Makkah and Madinah were connected to the Levant (countries on the eastern Mediterranean) and Egypt through this valley. This valley was considered of great importance for economic, cultural, and pilgrimage networks. As in the past, these pilgrimage paths traversed AlUla's landscape.

AlUla hosted a portion of the Ayla passage that connected Madinah to Aqaba in Jordan, in addition to the Syrian and Egyptian routes. These pilgrimage routes were given a lot of importance. That's why they were kept in good condition, along with forts, watchtowers, and water sources.

The speed and safety of travel were substantially enhanced by the Hijaz Railway, which used the same routes. Hegra is close to the Hijaz Railway Station. It is noteworthy that the Hijaz Railway and the Syrian Hajj Road are both currently on the UNESCO Tentative List for World Heritage.

The main goal of this railway station was to create a link between Istanbul and the Hejaz region of Arabia. This was because Hejaz is home to Mecca, one of Islam's holiest cities and the site of the religion's greatest shrines. Another significant factor was to make it easier to move military personnel and to better integrate the far-off Arabian provinces into the Ottoman state on an economic and political level.

Hegra Fort is located at the southernmost end of the Hijaz Railway Station, which was constructed in the mid of the 18th century to provide shelter for travelers.

How to explore Hijaz Railway Station?

- Visit Hegra fort and its reservoir. As part of the effort to reconstruct the structures of the nearby railway station, the fort and reservoir underwent renovation.

- For easy access to water, the twin water tower for the railway was constructed next to the fort's reservoir. Check out the mindful construction of these towers.

- If you are traveling to AlUla, halt at this station to purchase fresh produce of oranges, lemons, and dates.

- Visit a small garden to the east and south of the Hegra fort where pomegranate trees and date palms are seen growing.

- You can tour the Hajj Museum, housed in the area dedicated to the station, to understand and acknowledge its important role in the pilgrim's journeys.

- Various opportunities to witness the fort from above are given by going on an excursion in the hot air balloons near the fort.

- At the station, there is a small railway museum which is dedicated to the history of the railway. It displays the old locomotives, tools used to construct, and much more.