Saudi Arabia contains the oasis of AlUla, which lies near the UNESCO-listed archaeological site of Hegra. AlUla is in the northwestern part of the country, within a valley shaped by sandstone formations.
The wider AlUla region contains remains from several civilizations, including the ancient kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan. Its position along old caravan routes helped connect the Arabian Peninsula with the Levant and other parts of the ancient Near East.
Hegra, also called Mada’in Salih, is famous for monumental Nabataean rock-cut tombs. It became Saudi Arabia’s first site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008.
AlUla and Hegra are related geographically but are not identical names. AlUla is the broader oasis and region; Hegra is the specific ancient Nabataean archaeological site to its north.