Jabal Abu Makhruq (Arabic: جبل أبو مخروق), or in Najdi vernacular pronunciation as Jabal Abo Makhrog and popularly known as Camel's Eye (Arabic: عين الجمل), is a conical limestone hill with a natural arch through it in the ad-Dubbat neighborhood of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.[1][2][3] With an elevation of approximately 50 meters, it is so named for a 7 to 8 meters wide,[4] almost oval hole through the top of the hill that was formed due to erosion.[5][6] It was mentioned in Yaqut al-Hamawi's 13th century work Kitāb Mu'jam al-Buldān as Jabal Kharba (Arabic: جبل الخربة) and was once a stopover for caravans arriving from Eastern Arabia en route to the walled town of Riyadh.[7][8] The hill was once infamous among locals to be purportedly haunted by Jinns and demons.[9]
| Jabal Abu Makhruq | |
|---|---|
| Jabal Kharba Camel's Eye | |
 Jabal Abu Makhruq, 2024 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 50 m (160 ft) |
| Coordinates | 24°40′24″N 46°43′32″E / 24.67333°N 46.72556°E |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Arabic: جبل أبو مخروق |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
Overview
editThe hill is made of limestone and is known for its 7–8 meters wide cavity on the top of the hill that was formed due to erosion.[10] It overlooks the district of al-Malazz and previously had lent its name to the area. The site later became a local visitor attraction as a place of relaxation, and thus, is also regarded as the oldest park of Riyadh years before the site surrounding the hill was transformed into a 40,000 square meters urban park in 1980 by the Riyadh Municipality.[11]
Several historical accounts suggest that Abdulaziz ibn Saud had camped in the area the night before he engaged in the Battle of Riyadh in 1902.[12][13] The site was visited by St. John Philby in 1918 and Japanese traveler and historian Eigiro Nakano mentioned this mountain in his 1939 book A Japanese Visit to the Arabian Peninsula.[14]
In 2020, the Riyadh Municipality proposed to rehabilitate the park and announced a competition for its design.[15] The designs were selected in 2021 and construction work began in 2023.[16][17]
References
edit- ^ "Imposing landmark in Riyadh a witness to city's development". Arab News. 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ al-Riyāḍ, Jāmiʻat (1957). Majallat al-Jāmiʻah: al-ʻadad al-awwal (in Arabic).
- ^ حمد, جاسر، (2001). مدينة الرياض عبر أطوار التاريخ (in Arabic). دارة الملك عبد العزيز،. ISBN 978-9960-693-72-9.
- ^ حديث الصحراء (in Arabic). شركة المختلف للنشر والتوزيع،. 2002.
- ^ "جبل". archive.aawsat.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-08-24.
- ^ Sulaymān, Khālid ibn Aḥmad (1983). معجم مدينة الرياض (in Arabic). الجمعية العربية السعودية للثقافة والفنون، ادارة الثقافة،.
- ^ "اليوم الوطني / جبل أبو مخروق .. أقدم حديقة وسط الصحراء وشاهد على عصر الحضارة السعودية". spa.gov.sa (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "جبل أبو مخروق وذكريات الملوك والأدباء". الاقتصادية (in Arabic). 2018-03-09. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ Philby, H. St J. B.; فيلبي, هاري سانت جون فيلبي-عبدالله (2003-07-23). الذكرى العربية للمملكة العربية السعودية: Arabian Hubilee (in Arabic). العبيكان للنشر. ISBN 978-9960-40-402-8.
- ^ خال, عبدو; الساقي, دار (2017-03-21). مدن تأكل العشب (in Arabic). Dar al Saqi. ISBN 978-614-425-191-1.
- ^ "جبل أبو مخروق.. شاهد على الحضارة". www.alriyadh.com. 7 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ اللويم, الرياض-إبراهيم (2006-08-10). "فتحة الجبل من الجهة الجنوبية". alyaum. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
- ^ أحمد, دويحي، (2004). ثلاثية المكتوب مرة أخرى (in Arabic). دار الكنوز الأدبية.
- ^ إيجيرو, ناكانو، (1995). الرحلة اليابانية الى الجزيرة العربية، 1358 H 1939 M (in Arabic). دارة الملك عبد العزيز،. ISBN 978-9960-693-01-9.
- ^ "أمانة منطقة الرياض تطرح تطوير موقع "جبل أبو مخروق" في مسابقة". www.al-jazirah.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "جبل أبو مخروق.. في حلة جديدة قريبًا". www.al-jazirah.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "جانب من أعمال تطوير موقع مشروع جبل أبو مخروق.. صور". صحيفة صدى الالكترونية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-08-25.