Raoum Castle
Raoum Castle, built in the middle of the last century, specifically in 1929, is an archeological castle in Najran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The castle is perched on top of Raum Mountain in the southwest of Najran City, overlooking Najran villages and its oases stretching on the banks of Wadi Najran (the large valley of Najran).
Location of Raoum Castle
Raoum Castle is located amid a majestic landscape in Najran Province, as it is situated between the mountains of Abu Hamdan and Jabal Sa'dan. It overlooks the farms and villages stretching on the banks of Wadi Najran, such as the villages of Al-Hadan, Al-Moufjah, and Zu Al-Harith.
Description of Raoum Castle
It is about one thousand m high and built with stones and clay. Its roof is made of sidr, tamarisk, and palm trunks. The outside is decorated with separate triangles. At the bottom of the castle, there are well-built rock tanks that receive the rainwater through the castle's sewage.
Reasons behind the design of Raoum Castle
Raoum Castle was designed as a security fortress to be used for observation and exploration. It continued to perform security and supervisory roles before it turned into a tourist attraction and an archaeological site in 1953.
Restoration of Raoum Castle
The General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities in Najran Province (currently the Ministry of Tourism) restored the castle. It also worked to restore all the parts that had previously fallen, completely rebuilt the collapsed roofs, and decorated the roofs of the castle. Moreover, the authority rehabilitated the road leading to the castle by restoring the stone stairs used by visitors who come to the site, which, in addition to its historical importance, constitutes a distinctive tourist location with its cool atmosphere and its towering height, which helps visitors see all parts of the city of Najran and take souvenir photos.
The restoration operations aimed to preserve all archaeological and historical sites in a way that enhances the cultural and historical status of the region, and transforms them into tourist attraction sites. This will enhance the cultural and historical dimension of the region.