Travel Guide Médine

Madinah al-Munawarrah, "the enlightened city", is the second of the three holy cities of Islam, after Mecca and before Jerusalem. It is also one of the oldest cities in Saudi Arabia, existing at least 1500 years before the advent of Islam. Embedded in the valleys of the Hijaz Mountains, in a once very intense volcanic area, the city has become a major pilgrimage site. Muslims from all over the world come to worship at the Prophet's tomb and to pray in one of the first mosques he founded, the al-Nabawi Mosque. This is the beating heart of the city, the place where all visitors converge. It occupies the center of the al-Haram district, the sacred precinct. Unlike Mecca, non-Muslims have access to it. It is advisable to wear decent clothes in the city. Medina plays a key role in the advent of Islam. It was here that the religion began, where the Prophet founded the first mosques, and where the first Muslim cemetery is located. Medina was also the terminus city of the Hijaz railroad, which went up through the Middle East, until Damascus. You can still visit its old Ottoman-style railway station, which displays old locomotives and wagons. Many historic mosques dot the city. There is also a museum dedicated to the history of the Prophet and Islamic civilization.