AL QARAH MOUNTAIN

The amazing mountain of Al Qarah rises in the middle of the palm grove of Al Ahsa oasis, shaped by the elements and geological events into multiple caves, gutters, canyons and fissures. 28 natural galleries run through the interior of the mountain, the longest being 1.5 kilometers. They allow you to discover the bowels of a mountain without effort. Here, no need for a helmet, abseiling rope or Ariadne's thread. The site is absolutely sumptuous with its rocks polished into so many surprising shapes. It was developed in 2016, in preparation for the Unesco World Heritage listing of the Al Ahsa oasis. The floors of the main gallery were leveled, lighting was installed and a visitor center was built at the entrance. Access to Al Qarah Mountain is from its eastern side, from Al Qarah village. A large parking lot welcomes visitors. The entrance ticket is taken inside the Visitors' Center which also includes some souvenir stores, a cafeteria and a museum. The entrance ticket entitles you to a photo and a printout given at the end of the visit. Bring a flashlight to explore some of the galleries and bring a pair of sneakers for comfort.

Arabian Hospitality Centre. The tour begins with a welcome in English in a room in the visitor center, either on the first floor or upstairs. A young guide will offer you coffee and dates, while explaining the site and its role throughout history. The eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula was inhabited 5,000 years ago. It is likely that the caves of Al Qarah served as a natural habitat for the first resident tribes. During the Ottoman occupation, the caves were used to store weapons, jewelry, money and food. At the time of the unification of Saudi Arabia, the largest of the caves served as the majlis of the prince of Al Ahsa. He held meetings there with his men and advisors. The introductory speech is accompanied by a guided tour on Islamic calligraphy. Artists have painted selected pieces of the Quran, interpreting them in the choice of colors or the composition of the writing.

The Land of Civilization Museum. On the second floor of the visitor center. Four small rooms provide information about the geological formation of Saudi Arabia and the first civilizations to have occupied the country. Comparative ancient scripts, replicas of archaeological artifacts and a Saudi scarf believed to have originated with the Chaldeans. When the tour is over, you leave the building to go to the mountain.

The mountain of Al Qarah. Al Qarah means "the continent" in Arabic. You have to imagine a time when this big monolithic block emerged after hundreds of kilometers traveled in the flatness of the surrounding desert. Today, you go up a canyon that gradually narrows until you have the impression of being swallowed by the mountain. What strikes at first sight, as soon as you enter the mountain, is the coolness. The temperature is naturally maintained between 20 and 24 °C all year round. The path is marked out by lighting that highlights the polished forms of the stone by the rainwater. On either side of the central path, other paths lead to caves of varying sizes. The largest of them has been nicknamed the Eid cave. This is where the villagers of Al Qarah used to gather for the Eid prayers that had to be held outside their homes. It is also where certain meetings requiring discretion were held. The cave is naturally illuminated by a ray of light that pierces through a crack in the mountain. Today, weddings are still celebrated there. The smaller caves were used for teaching young people. They would gather in the cool of the mountain to learn to read and write. Halfway down the main path, a photographer is waiting to take your picture in the most spectacular part. The walls of the fault are spread out and the height of the mountain appears in all its splendor. At the highest point of the massif, the mountain of Al Qarah culminates at 210 meters. You will be able to pick up the printed picture at the exit, in the photographer's store, which will give you the choice between two pictures. The result is a nice souvenir.

There are three different types of caves in Al Qarah Mountain. The first is due to the natural dissolution and abrasion of limestone, which is soluble in water. The second type is due to the collapse of the upper layers of the mountain as a result of erosion. The third type is the result of seismic movements that have created vertical faults forming corridors in the mountain. This unique and original geological formation is the result of a succession of rocks and sediments of different structures that are superimposed like a mille-feuille. The buried base of the mountain is composed of a thin layer of marl surmounted by breccias of 17 meters of thickness. The outer base is composed of a tangle of limestone and pink sandstone. Above this lies a thick layer of grey sandstone, about 75 m thick, with an intercalation of alluvial marl that makes the rock particularly fragile and friable. The top of the mountain is formed by a two-meter thick limestone layer.