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Geographic region of the Arabian Peninsula
Photo: Al Jazeera English, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Hejaz (or Hijaz) covers the central Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Home to both commercial hub Jeddah and the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina, this is where the famous railway from Damascus led in its brief heyday, and while politically somewhat eclipsed by Riyadh, Jeddah in particular remains the most cosmopolitan city in the country.
A new high-speed rail line, the Haramain line, has been built on a Mecca-Jeddah-Medina route. There is also stations at Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport and the planned King Abdullah Economic City.
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Ta'if (pronounced "Taayef", also written as "Taif") is a city in the Mecca province of Saudi Arabia. With a population of 690,000 people (2020 estimate), it is the sixth most populous city in Saudi Arabia.
where Muhammad filled the wells along the route for the Muslims to defeat the powerful Quraish army
Saudi Arabia's second city
new city under construction, as of now mainly golf courses and luxury hotels
the holiest city in Islam and the destination of the Hajj pilgrimage, entry prohibited to non-Muslims
site of the Prophet's Mosque; the city is now open to all, but the Mosque remains off limits
renowned for its picturesque waterfront
Hegra (ٱلْحِجْر al-Ḥijr), also Madain Saleh (مدائن صالح) is a large archaeological site in Hejaz, Saudi Arabia.
The annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims and is the largest annual gathering of people in the world. It occurs between the 8th and 12th of the last month of the Islamic calendar, Dhu al-Hijjah.
Ruins of a former Jewish oasis town that was the site of a major battle in 628 CE.
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