Watch: Saudi woman turns century-old house into Medina hospitality hostel in Saudi Arabia
Renovation aims to preserve heritage of building and invoke aura of old times
Cairo: A Saudi woman has renovated a 100-year-old stone house and transformed it into a hospitality hostel in Medina, capturing the ancient history of the holy city.
Mayy Muslim told Saudi TV Al Ekhbariya that the renovation works were carried out in a way that preserves the characteristic identity of Medina, home to the Prophet's Mosque, Islam's second holiest site.
"This was not easy because stone and rock houses are difficult to preserve, let alone the old heritage," she said. "All the walls and ceilings in this house are considered 80 to 100 years old. We only made simple additions and restored them," she added.
"All details were handled to bring the visitor back to old times."
According to Mayy, a scent was specifically manufactured for the restored house to convey the scent of the ancient city, including mastic, mint and roses.
With 2025 designated by the Saudi government as the year of crafts, ancient crafts have been revived in Mayy's project. They include an old vocation undertaken by women to apply make-up to brides on their wedding nights using Medina-native natural substances.
The designation also aims to bring Saudi handicrafts to world attention and encourage artisans.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has put a strong emphasis on national heritage and paid attention to renovation of ancient sites.
In 2020, the kingdom created the Heritage Commission tasked with advancing and preserving heritage. Moreover, the commission supports efforts to develop national heritage assets, raise awareness and generate interest in them.
It is also responsible for holding training courses, developing educational programmes and providing scholarships for talents.