Take a tour of Archaeological Site of Madain Saleh in Saudi Arabia -- part of the World's Greatest Attractions travel video series by GeoBeats.
Mada'in Saleh is a pre-Islamic archaeological site, and the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Saudi Arabia.
The site is a major part of the Nabataean kingdom, a civilization that existed around the 1st century.
The area is a collection of monuments and tombs to people pertaining to various social classes.
It is located at a great intersection of trade in Saudi Arabia, and thus many languages, writings and artistic styles are present at the site.
Due in part to the arid environment and no resettlement, the ruins at Madain Saleh are incredibly well-kept and preserved.
However, Madain Saleh has not become a great tourist destination because of the belief that it was cursed by Allah.
The rock-cut entrances, tombs and engravings are impressive enough to one day overcome the site's reputation.