A market in the desert
Linah, in the Rafha Governorate of the Northern Borders Region, was established in 1933 as a centre of trade. Saudipedia records that by the middle of the 20th century it was the Kingdom's largest trading centre, and that its markets are the oldest in the region.
The ruins of the Linah market are still clear to see: shops built of stone and clay, laid out in a rectangle, with palm-frond canopies carried on large columns.
Palace and prehistory
The King Abdulaziz Palace at Linah was built in 1935 of mud brick, clay and stone, covering more than 1,000 m², with a round tower at each corner. Around its spacious courtyard are a majlis and other rooms, and it served as the seat of the local emirate.
Linah's story is far older than its market. A site in the centre, dated to between 7,500 and 6,500 BC, holds stone circles, wall foundations and tools, and the old pilgrim station of Zubala also lies south of Rafha.