Mud-brick façade
Outside the palace
Layered mud walls with whitewashed trim, typical of Najran.
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Najran, Saudi Arabia
Al Manjam Palace
A traditional mud-brick palace in Najran, built in the tall, whitewash-trimmed style of the region and a good example of its heritage architecture.
Favourite places
Windows and decoration
Upper floors
Small windows framed in white, designed to keep the rooms cool.
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Surrounding area
Around the palace
Farms and palm groves of the Najran valley.
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Local food
Haneeth
Najran, Saudi Arabia
Lamb slow-roasted until it falls off the bone, served over spiced rice — a dish of the south-western regions, often made for celebrations.
Areeka
Najran, Saudi Arabia
A southern speciality of whole-wheat dough kneaded with ghee and shaped into a mound with a hollow in the middle, filled with honey or date syrup. Eaten with the hands, usually at breakfast or for guests.
Saudi coffee (gahwa) and dates
Najran, Saudi Arabia
Lightly roasted coffee spiced with cardamom (sometimes saffron or cloves), poured in small cups from a dallah and always served with dates. Offering it is the first sign of welcome in any Saudi home, majlis or heritage site.Read more
Where to eat
Main commercial roads
Central Najran
Local restaurants serving mandi, haneeth and kabsa, plus grills, bakeries and cafés. Most have family sections.
Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)Traditional souq
Older part of Najran, near the Emirate Palace
The old market area sells local honey, dates, spices, incense and crafts such as silver and traditional daggers, with small restaurants and tea stalls nearby.
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Where to stay
Central Najran
Najran, Saudi Arabia
Hotels and furnished apartments near the main roads and the old market, a short drive from the Emirate Palace and Al-Ukhdood.
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Najran, Saudi Arabia
Quieter hotels and apartments near the palm groves of the wadi, closer to the mud-brick villages such as Al-Aan.
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Culture
Najran’s mud-brick palaces are a living tradition — similar techniques are still used by local builders to restore old houses.
History
Al Manjam Palace is one of the historic mud-brick buildings of the Najran valley. Like other large houses of the region, it was built with thick walls of mud and straw laid in layers, small windows and whitewashed bands that protect the edges from rain.
Such buildings served as homes and strongholds for leading families of the valley. Al Manjam has been preserved as part of Najran's architectural heritage.
Tour plans
Mud-brick Najran
Half dayStep 1: Al Manjam Palace
See the façade and its decoration.
Step 2: Al-Aan Palace
Drive along the wadi to the hilltop palace.
Step 3: Emirate Palace and souq
Finish in the old centre.
Travel information
Best time to visit
October to March, in the morning or late afternoon.
How to get there
- From central Najran: by taxi or car; ask locally for directions, as heritage buildings in the valley can be hard to find.
Getting around
- On foot: see the building from outside and walk around the area.
Travel tips
- Travel advice: Najran is close to the border with Yemen. Before you go, check your own government's current travel advice for the area.
- Dress: modest clothing is expected in public — shoulders and knees covered for everyone; loose, light fabrics are the most comfortable. Women do not need to cover their hair as visitors, but a scarf is useful for religious sites.
- Prayer times: many shops and some sites close briefly for each of the five daily prayers; plan around them.
- Friday: the weekly holy day. Mornings are quiet and many places open only after the midday prayer.
- Check access: ask locally whether the interior can be visited.