Thee Ain, also known as Dhi Ayn or Zee Ain, is one of the most important traditional villages in the Al-Baha region of Saudi Arabia. It is famous for the houses built from polished stones stacked on top of each other dating back to the 8th century, making the village more than 400 years old. The village is situated atop the White Mountain and has a unique and striking urban setting. The village is further characterized by the forts that protect the village and the adjacent water source. Because of the white glow of the rocky outcrop it is built upon, the village can be located easily from a distance. For that reason, the village is also known as the ”Marble Village”.
The historical Thee Ain village gets its name from the water spring that gathers its water from nearby mountains and branches out into several tributaries with different names. According to a local story, a man once lost his cane in one of the valleys. After spending a lot of time searching for it, he tracked a river that brought him to the village. After questioning the villagers, he finally retrieved his cane by digging out the eye-shaped spring.
The Thee Ain has 49 dwellings and a mosque.
When the surrounding farms are included there are more than 300 houses. A load-bearing system called Medamik was used in the construction of the houses. Built from polished stones and mud, the houses have multiple floors from two to four floors, all similar in planning. The lower floors are used for hosting and living, the upper floors are for sleeping. Some of the houses have existed since the establishment of the village. These characteristic houses date back to the end of the 8th century.
To turn the village into a popular tourist destination, the Saudi Arabian government launched a rehabilitation and development program. With its unique mountainous landscape and stone-built architecture, the Thee Ain village is on the Tentative List of UNESCO.
