In the northwestern Saudi desert near the oasis city of AlUla, a project is taking shape that aims to appeal to stargazers, researchers, and travelers alike. About 70 kilometers north of the historic town center, AlUla Manara is planned as a center that brings together observation, science, and tourism under the open sky.
The core of the facility, whose name refers to the Arabic word for "lighthouse", is a telescope array: a main instrument with a four-meter mirror diameter, complemented by two smaller telescopes of two meters each. This makes the observatory one of the largest and most modern of its kind in the region, according to the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). For context: In the broader Middle East region, a four-meter telescope ranks in the upper range - comparable, for example, to the Doğu Anadolu Observatory (DAG) in eastern Turkey, which also measures four meters, while Iran's National Observatory comes in at 3.4 meters.
The facility is designed to fulfill two purposes: it supports scientific research and sky observation while simultaneously giving visitors insight into ongoing research operations. The RCU is responsible for development and collaborates on the scientific direction with the Saudi Space Agency, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), and the U.S.-based SETI Institute.
An Architecture Oriented to the Cosmos
The design is by Heatherwick Studio, which is internationally known for projects including Little Island in New York and Coal Drops Yard in London. The building's form incorporates spiral patterns found in space - such as in galaxies and planetary rings - while also referencing the mathematical structures found on Earth in plants, fossils, and shells. Plans include immersive exhibitions, a planetarium, a restaurant, and a rooftop observation deck.
Stuart Wood, Executive Partner and Group Leader of the studio, outlined the basic idea to "Arab News" in essence as follows: observatories often seem like remote, sterile technical sites disconnected from the public; they wanted to break down this distance and create a place where guests could directly experience wonder about the cosmos.
Overnight Stays Under the Open Starry Sky
Beyond the actual center, the plan also includes accommodations, including a lodge for stargazing as well as remote pods where guests can spend the night directly in the landscape.
All of this is facilitated by the location. According to the RCU, AlUla Manara is located in one of the world's largest certified Dark Sky Parks: within the "Park" category, AlUla currently ranks third according to DarkSky International; even larger protected dark sky areas such as Greater Big Bend in Texas belong to other categories.
The site extends between the Gharameel Nature Reserve and the Harrat Uwayrid Reserve. Measurements taken during certification classify the night skies around Gharameel and AlUla Manara among the darkest five percent worldwide.
Travel and Opening
Those who wish to visit AlUla currently must rely on domestic Saudi or regional hubs. Direct connections from Europe to AlUla International Airport do not currently exist; connections are possible via Jeddah and Riyadh or via the Gulf hubs of Doha and Dubai. A specific opening date for AlUla Manara has not yet been announced; the project is in the design and planning phase.
