Riyadh:The Aseer Region marks World Architecture Day by showcasing its unique architectural heritage, where the natural landscape has significantly influenced construction techniques and styles.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the region's traditional architecture exemplifies the harmonious interaction between its inhabitants and the environment. Buildings constructed from stone and mud rise along the mountainsides, some reaching several stories high.
The Saudi Architecture Map identifies various architectural styles within Aseer, including those found in the Abha highlands, Sarawat Mountains, Aseer Escarpment, Tihama foothills, and Tihama coast. A prominent trait of Aseeri architecture is its verticality, a response to the mountainous terrain's spatial limitations.
In Rujal, part of the Rijal Almaa Governorate, some buildings are over three centuries old, constructed from stone, mud, and wood, with heights up to eight stories. The region's urban landscape also features qasabas or watchtowers, strategically built on high ground to oversee roads and village entrances.
Tall stone towers with a fortified look are scattered across the Aseer Escarpments, some standing six stories tall. Builders creatively utilized local materials, primarily stone and mud, for construction in the Sarat and Rijal Almaa areas.
Traditional woodworking further enriched the buildings' identity, with intricately designed doors, windows, and ceilings reflecting Islamic art influences. Inside homes, Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, a decorative art form, adorns walls and interior spaces. UNESCO recognized this art in 2017, adding it to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.