On November 2, 2026 the Saudi Press Agency announced that the historic walled farms of Unaizah Governorate in the Qassim Region are being repurposed as tourism and heritage sites. These farms, locally called hitan or falayeh, once formed the backbone of agriculture and community life in the region.
Traditionally enclosed by walls, the farms surrounded orchards and housed wells and palm trees, providing food, employment, and the foundation for residential neighborhoods. Today they host cafés, restaurants, and preserved mud‑brick buildings that attract both residents and visitors, while keeping their original architectural features intact.
Al‑Zunaidi explained that the term “hitan” means walled farms, and that the names of these sites were often derived from their locations, family ownership, or unique natural features such as wells and cultivated land. He noted that the farms’ emergence was tied to the groundwater availability in Rawdat Unaizah, which supported early settlement and agricultural activity.
He estimated that historically between 80 % and 90 % of Unaizah’s population depended on agriculture, either directly as farmers or indirectly through related work. The farms thus served not only economic functions but also social ones, providing space for cooperation and knowledge transfer between generations.
Now, as tourism attractions, the preserved farms offer a living reminder of Unaizah’s agricultural past and the city’s evolution, sustaining cultural heritage while boosting local tourism.
