Al Manakha Urban Project
Al Manakha Urban Project
Al Manakha Urban Project is one of the most distinctive development works in Madinah. It aims to restore and develop the historic Al Manakha district overlooking the plaza of the Prophet’s Mosque, within a modern urban vision that conserves the heritage of the place and advances sustainable urban development.
In the heart of Madinah
The project
Development that begins with the value of place
Al Manakha Urban Project is one of the most distinctive development works in Madinah. It aims to restore and develop the historic Al Manakha district overlooking the plaza of the Prophet’s Mosque, within a modern urban vision that conserves the heritage of the place and advances sustainable urban development.
The project sits southwest of the Prophet’s Mosque central area, on land of historic and religious value bound to the city since the earliest days of Islam. It was known as a place for the resting of camels and as a historic market of the city, and it witnessed notable Islamic events, including the Prophet’s ﷺ rain prayer and the two Eid prayers.
The project is a complete model of modern urban development held together with historic character: new hotel towers, public plazas, and the revival of markets and heritage sites, enriching the visitor experience and the spiritual and cultural life of the area.
What sets it apart
What makes this project unique?
- It stands on historic ground of high religious and heritage value in the heart of Madinah.
- It has direct views of the Prophet’s Mosque and its plazas, with an open setting for sight and movement.
- The project plazas are the only plazas that adjoin the plazas of the Prophet’s Mosque directly from the southwest, giving visitors a distinctive experience and a clear visual and physical connection to the Haram.
- It revives notable historic landmarks, including Masjid al-Ghamama and the mosques of Abu Bakr, Umar and Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, together with the surrounding heritage markets.
- The project overlooks Darb al-Sunnah, one of Madinah’s most important historic routes, linking the Prophet’s Mosque with Quba Mosque — the path the Prophet ﷺ took each Saturday to pray there — giving the project a rare historic and spiritual dimension.
- It holds a balance between modern urban development and the historic identity of the place.
- It offers a setting that stays alive around the clock, thanks to its location and the density of visitors.
Scale
Space for development. Space for city life.
The project extends across 31,385 m², with 28,650 m² of plazas within the development. Its hospitality component comprises two hotel towers, complemented by plazas, pedestrian routes, commercial uses and elements connected to the historic setting.
Film
Watch the project
A silent film introducing Al Manakha Urban Project and its urban setting.
Project facts
The scale of the project
513
Al Manakha Rotana rooms and suitesProject components
Components that work together
Al Manakha Rotana forms the project’s principal hospitality component, with two towers containing 513 rooms and suites. Plazas and pedestrian routes open the setting, while commercial uses support everyday life within a connected place.
Commercial sector
Plazas, kiosks and shops
Commercial activity is a project component, and it also belongs to a wider company sector: plazas, commercial kiosks and shops.
Visitor experience
From arrival to stay
The project’s components support easier movement and a more connected stay across hospitality, plazas, services and activity, strengthened by the project’s location in central Madinah.
Heritage
Restoration, strengthening and rehabilitation of historic mosques in the central area
Almanakha Urban Project Development Company developed the historic Al Manakha district beside and overlooking the Haram plaza, which includes historic mosques such as Masjid al-Ghamama and the mosques of Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them.
The company conserved the heritage identity of these mosques and the older history of Al Manakha, and restored the mosques and strengthened their foundations so they can be kept and sustained.
The work was carried out under specialist supervision, in cooperation with the Heritage Foundation contracted by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, to the standards required to conserve the historic and urban character of the sites, with follow-up and supervision by the Madinah Region Development Authority.
Urban impact
A contribution to its setting
The project aims to improve the experience around it, support economic and commercial activity, and present the identity of Al Manakha through contemporary development that responds to both place and people.
The project in its setting
The project is located southwest of the Prophet’s Mosque central area, within one of Madinah’s most active and historically significant urban settings.