Saudi Gazette An American author has rightly said, “You have to know the past to understand the present.” The preservation of historical buildings across the Kingdom is of vital importance and will serve a number of purposes. Firstly, opening a historical site to the public, even for a minimal fee, will boost the city's economy. One of the first destination on any traveler's list is the historical museum of the town. Dr. Abdul Naser bin Abdul Rahman Al-Zahrani, professor at the College of Tourism & Archeology in King Saud University said the availability of ancient buildings and artifacts in a city, if used wisely, will have a positive impact on the city's overall income. “When historical sites are turned into tourist attractions, they entail great economic benefits on the entire community. Preserving archaeological wonders from the past draws tourists to the area, creates job opportunities for the locals, and encourages investments in the area from big businesses. Needless to say, restoration of historical sites adds beauty to the city and enriches community life in a number of ways,” said Al-Zahrani. Historical buildings are like messages from the past. They represent the cultural heritage of a community and there are plenty of lessons that the current generations can learn from studying these sites, such as ancient traditions, the foundations of ancient architecture and the ancestors' close ties to nature. Al-Zahrani added that the historical sites of are like a nation's collective memory. “Ancient buildings are part of our historical education and they help us to understand the most important places and people in our history. In my view, the development of a civilization is not only measured by the presence of modern and advanced buildings, but also in their ability to preserve and maintain their historical structures,” he said. To protect the antiquities that predecessors of this country left thousands of years ago, Crown Prince Naif bin AbdulAziz set strict regulations for demolition of buildings in Saudi Arabia. Without the permission of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, none of the historical buildings can be tampered with. The Commission will determine its historical and architectural value and any violation will be harshly dealt with. Among the most important accomplishments of the Commission for Tourism and Antiquities is documenting all the historical and archeological sites in the Kingdom and their exact locations. Rules have been put in place to preserve the areas that exhibit exquisite Islamic architecture as well. The Commission also organizes yearly conferences to aid in keeping the country's history alive and is cooperating with local residents to help restore old villages and historical sites. __
