The first phase of the Mohammed bin Salman Project for Historical Mosques Renovation has been completed with the rehabilitation of 30 mosques in 10 regions of Saudi Arabia at a cost of more than SR50 million ($13.33 million), a Saudi Press Agency report said.

 

The programme was launched following the direction of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, to renovate 130 historical mosques in Saudi Arabia over several stages.

 

The renovation work was carried out by firms experienced and specialised in heritage buildings through the programme for the reconstruction of historical mosques at the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, the General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage and the Saudi Society for the Preservation of Heritage.

 

The project took into account small details to recover the basic design of the mosques using new and high quality materials, and added new elements such as prayer rooms for women, facilities for people with the disabilities and features such as air conditioning, lighting and acoustics.

 

The age of these historical mosques varies between 60 and 1,432 years. One of them was established in the era of the Prophet's companion Jarir bin Abdullah Al-Bajali, namely Jarir Al-Bajali Mosque in Taif Governorate. Some of these historical mosques were known as a scholarly beacon, such as Sheikh Abu Bakr Mosque which was established more than 300 years ago in Al-Ahsa Governorate.