This is a record of a very nice memory for my visit to Abha (a city in the heat of Aseer Province, south of Saudi Arabia). I went for one week, to attend a training course arranged by my university. I got the chance to meet some of my friends their especially the University of Southampton alumina. Ibrahim Alasmary and Ali Asiri.
One of the remarkable places to visit in Abha is Abu Sarrah Castile, it is located in Alzizah village, in the road of Al-Soudah, 17 km from the city centre of Abha in the Arabic language it is called (حصون أبو سراح – Huson Abu Sarrah). it was built more than 200 years ago, recently Abu Sarrah family refurbished the castle and open it for visitors, they also open a coffee shop and restaurant. It is a unique place; it is one of the biggest and beautiful castles in Aseer Province. It is consisting of three castles linked together by a bridge. The wall was 0.80 cm thick and, in the roof, there were more than 40 spots for the gun used.
The beauty about this place is the stories were told by one of their grandsons, he told us about his grandmother when she falls from the fourth floor and she was safe without any broking bonus, and she is more than 90 years old now and live with them and visiting the castle. How this place was built with stones only, and stand for more than two century. The main purpose of building this castle is to protect the people live in the village during the war, which was done by the Uthmanic empire. He told us about his family being defeated and the huge army attacked them and siege them in the castle for a while. And the Uthmanic army took 20 of his family captives to Istanbul and killed some of them.
From leadership perspective, I believe this castle tell us how the instability time was in this area during the war with the Uthmanic empire, and how the people use the environment to build this 6 floors castle to protect the people and be creative to make it safe and suitable place.
The cost of the place was paid by Abu Sarrah family and their leader Sheikh Lahiq bin Ahmed Abu Sarrah Al-Zaydani, who was chosen as a prince on this area during the days of the Al-Ayed Emirate of Aseer, before the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the hands of the founder King Abdulaziz bin Saud.
If you are visiting Aseer, I think it is worth to visit this place and see and hear the stories from those who lived in this place and feel the history.
I am very thankful for the family for their initiative, effort, and welcoming, and hospitality.
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