Al-Atawlah Heritage Mosque is an example of many of Saudi Arabia's cultural and religious heritage. Situated 30 kilometers north of the city of Al Bahah, it is perhaps the most iconic structure found in the heritage village of the same name dating back 900 years. In fact, this makes it one of the oldest mosques in the region.
But, that's not all. Like most historical sites in the region, Al-Atawlah Heritage Mosque offers fascinating clues as to how similar structures were built during its original time period. The mosque was built using irregularly shaped stone blocks, mud plastering, and juniper tree trunks for the ceiling and columns. The superstructure itself is a rectangular building with a single minaret.
The mosque has a capacity of 130 worshippers with an area of 300 square meters. Although left abandoned for twenty years, the mosque has been given new life, thanks to initiatives by the Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Project for Historical Mosques Renovation in the Kingdom. In addition to renovation of the main structure, the mosque is now fitted with electricity and modern lighting, a prayer house, a courtyard, a water tank, and an area for ablution. Al-Atawlah Heritage Mosque is just one of several historical mosques across the Kingdom to be rehabilitated in recent years.
In fact, one of the elder residents of Al Atawlah, Abdulaziz Al-Zahrani, got the opportunity to speak with the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as he recalled how the mosque once served as a vital point for Qur'an recitation and learning the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. Undoubtedly, the mosque's rehabilitation brought smiles on the faces of the village's elders as Al-Zahrani gave his thanks to the Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Project for Historical Mosques Renovation for its efforts.
