Al Madinah Province in western Saudi Arabia combines Madinah, the city of the Prophet's Mosque, with AlUla's UNESCO-listed Hegra, the Red Sea port of Yanbu, and early Islamic sites at Badr, Khaybar and Uhud. This guide covers sights, hotels, food, access rules for non-Muslims and getting around.
Al Madinah Province was a crossroads for incense caravans, then the cradle of the first Muslim state. Visitors trace it from the Nabataean tombs of Hegra to the Prophet's Mosque, the early battlefields and the Hejaz Railway.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Al Madinah.
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1
Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms
Dadan in the AlUla Oasis becomes a regional capital on the incense route.
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2
Nabataeans at Hegra
Hegra is carved with monumental tombs as a Nabataean southern centre.
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3
The Hijrah reaches Madinah
The Prophet arrives, founds Quba Mosque and builds his mosque in Madinah.
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4
Badr, Uhud and the Trench
Three decisive early battles are fought around Madinah.
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5
Khaybar
The oasis of Khaybar falls to the Muslims.
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6
Death of the Prophet
The Prophet is buried in Madinah; the mosque grows into a major pilgrimage site.
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7
Hejaz Railway reaches Madinah
The Ottoman railway from Damascus ends at Madinah, ferrying pilgrims.
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8
Saudi rule
Madinah comes under Saudi rule.
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9
Prophet's Mosque expansion
King Fahd's expansion adds umbrellas and large courtyards.
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10
Hegra listed by UNESCO
Saudi Arabia's first World Heritage inscription.
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11
Madinah opens to non-Muslim visitors
The city is opened beyond the Haram boundary; the mosque remains Muslims only.
Historical eras
The chapters of Al Madinah's past.
Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms
Dadan in AlUla is a regional capital with temples and lion tombs.
Nabataean Hegra
Rock-cut tombs at Hegra mark the southern Nabataean capital.
Early Islamic Madinah
The Prophet's Mosque, Quba, Badr, Uhud and Khaybar belong to this period.
Ottoman era
The Hejaz Railway and the Madinah gate become pilgrim lifelines.
Saudi era
Expansion of the Prophet's Mosque, and the Vision 2030 opening of AlUla.
Historical sites
Places where Al Madinah's past comes alive.
Quba Mosque
The first mosque in Islam, founded in 622 on the Prophet's arrival in the Madinah area.
Where: Quba, south Madinah
Admission: Free
Masjid al-Qiblatayn
The mosque where the direction of prayer is said to have changed from Jerusalem to Makkah in 624.
Where: Al-Qiblatayn, northwest Madinah
Admission: Free
Mount Uhud Battlefield and Martyrs' Cemetery
Site of the Battle of Uhud (625) with the graves of about 70 companions including Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib.
Where: North Madinah
Admission: Free
Seven Mosques and the Trench site
Small mosques beside the line of the trench dug in 627 to defend Madinah.
Where: Al-Khandaq, Madinah
Admission: Free
Badr Battlefield
The wells of Badr, where the Muslims won their first decisive battle in 624.
Where: Badr
Admission: Free
Qamus Fortress, Khaybar
Basalt hilltop fortress of the Khaybar oasis, conquered by the Muslims in 628.
Where: Khaybar oasis
Admission: Free
Hegra Archaeological Site
UNESCO-listed Nabataean city of about 110 rock-cut tombs, the southern capital of the Nabataean kingdom after Petra.
Where: AlUla
Admission: From SAR 95 (~$25) by guided tour
Dadan Archaeological Site
Capital of the Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms, with a temple area and lion tombs.
Where: AlUla Oasis
Admission: Reserve in the Experience AlUla app (price verify)
AlUla Old Town
Mud-brick town of about 900 houses on the caravan and pilgrim route, inhabited from the 12th century until the 1980s.
Where: AlUla
Admission: Free
Yanbu Al-Bahr Old Town
Coral-stone merchant quarter of Madinah's historic Red Sea port.
Where: Yanbu
Admission: Free
Mahd adh-Dhahab
Ancient gold-mining settlement, worked from antiquity through the Abbasid caliphate.
Where: Mahd adh-Dhahab
Admission: Free to view outside
Museums
Curated collections that tell Al Madinah's story.
Dar Al Madinah Museum
Museum of Madinah's history with models of the Prophet's Mosque through the ages and of 7th-century Madinah.
Hours: Daily, about 09:00-21:00 (verify)
Admission: About SAR 25-40 (~$7-11) (estimate)
King Fahd Glorious Quran Printing Complex
Printing plant and exhibition on the Quran, its translations and printing.
Hours: Morning visitor tours (verify)
Admission: Free (estimate)
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.
Madinah Hop-On Hop-Off bus
Sightseeing bus calling at Quba, Qiblatayn, Uhud and the Seven Mosques.
Hegra guided coach tour
Standard Hegra tour from Winter Park, AlUla, booked at experiencealula.com.