Demolition of Historic Madinah Mountain Halted
Yousuf Muhammad, Arab News

MADINAH, 21 December 2006 — As part of efforts to preserve the Islamic heritage and antiquities in the holy city of Madinah, Crown Prince Sultan has instructed the authorities to stop demolition works on the historic Salae Mountain, located northwest of the Prophet’s Mosque.

“The crown prince has also ordered the formation of a committee to study the present condition of the mountain and expropriate real estate properties near the mountain to complete the ring road surrounding it,” said a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

Madinah Governor Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Majed thanked the crown prince for his action and praised his efforts in preserving Islamic landmarks.

Prince Sultan earlier instructed authorities to restore the centuries-old Osaifreen Mountain in Madinah.

Preservation of historic sites always has a cost, sometimes direct, sometimes indirect. As the cities of Medina and Mecca grow exponentially, they put pressure on historic cites. This isn’t special to Saudi Arabia: speak to any city planner or engineer in Rome or Athens.

Up until recently, though, private land owners and developers have had the upper hand in pushing their own plans forward, at the expense of history. This has been abetted by certain religious groups who fear that historical preservation can lead to idolatry.

This time, at least, it appears the preservationist are winning and have governmental support.