Description : Al-ʿUla (also Al Ola, Arabic العلا al-ʿulā; Also Dedan), is a governorate of Medina Region, and a city in north-western Saudi Arabia. Al-‘Ula was historically located on the Incense route. The city lies within the Governorate of 'Ula (محافظة العلا), one of seven in the Medina Region. The city is 110 km southwest of Tayma and 300 km north of Medina. The Governorate of 'Ula covers 29,261 square kilometres (11,298 sq mi). The city (municipality) covers 2,391 square kilometres (923 sq mi). The population of the city is 5,426.Al-ʿUla was the capital of the ancient Lihyanites (Dedanites). The governorate contains the first UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Saudi Kingdom, called Madain Saleh (Hegra), 22 km north of the city. Madain Saleh was built more than 2,000 years ago by the Nabataeans. Al-‘Ula, the walled city, is packed with mud-brick and stone houses.
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