Tabuk Castle: a window into Saudi Arabia’s past

The northwestern region of Saudi Arabia is famous thanks to the Hejaz Railway and Lawrence of Arabia. The city of Tabuk itself doesn’t offer many tourist sites to visit. However, the surrounding region is captivating and well worth exploring. A visit to Tabuk Castle pairs perfectly with the Hejaz Railway.

NEOM now spans part of the former Tabuk region in northwestern Saudi Arabia, along the Red Sea. NEOM is mainly famous for The Line, the 170 km-long smart city. But it’s just one of many projects within the region.

Tabuk and its surrounding area are home to ancient archaeological sites such as the Midian Tombs (Mugha’ir Shu’ayb), Moses’ Well, and the Al-Shaq Canyon.

Leaving Tabuk to head towards the coast is an experience in iteself, the road is simply incredible. My first time driving this route was amazing, with the landscape changing dramatically. The mountains grew more imposing, and the sand turned redder.

The sunset further enhances the colours of the sand, which come from its mineral composition. The vivid red-orange hue of the Hisma Desert is due to the presence of iron oxide coating the grains of sand.

I spent a day in Tabuk visiting Tabuk Castle, the ruins of the Hejaz Railway, and its museum. I drove past these historical landmarks a few times and told myself I would come back to visit properly. The castle, like the railway, was built by the Ottomans around 1655. It was restored in 1993 and is now an archaeological museum showcasing artefacts. It tells the story of the city, the fort, the Battle of Tabuk, and the Ottoman era.

The Tabuk Castle was built to protect the water station and ensure security, as it was one of the stations along the Hajj route, welcoming pilgrims. It is quite  modest in size though and features two floors, a courtyard, and several rooms displaying artefacts.

Honestly, I think 20-30 minutes at Tabuk Castle is enough since it’s relatively small. After your visit, here are a few places I’d recommend:

Make sure to walk along the street in front of the castle. It is lined with local shops. That’s where I bought my coffee pot, small in size, perfect for preparing Saudi coffee and dates 🙂 A little further down the street, you’ll find the Tabuk market.

Close to Tabuk Castle is the Al-Tawbah Mosque is an iconic tourist attraction. It is known as a place where Prophet Muhammad once prayed and is also linked to the Battle of Tabuk, a military expedition he led against the Byzantine Empire. The mosque is fairly large, accommodating up to 3,000 worshippers, and is open to visitors. You can find more information on the Visit Saudi website

If you have time, I would highly recommend exploring the Hejaz Railway in Tabuk, a legendary line that once connected Medina to Damascus. It’s best to visit the museum first to understand the background story and then exploring its ruins and its unique tunnel.

Over the course of my many visits to Tabuk, I’ve tried several cafés, and C&B is by far my favorite. It’s a Saudi café based in Tabuk.