Taif — the Saudi city of roses is ready to bloom

Taif — the Saudi city of roses is ready to bloom

TAIF: The Taif Rose Festival, organized by the Saudi Culture Ministry, will attract visitors from around the Kingdom with activities, shows and displays running until May 11. Latifa Al-Adwani, supervisor of the Taif History Center, told Arab News that the Taif roses are at the heart of the city's aesthetic identity. "Legend has it that five centuries ago an Ottoman sultan offered seedlings of the Levant rose to a noble man in Makkah, who ordered that the flowers be sent to Al-Hada Mountain to be planted there, as this area is known for its mild and cool weather, similar to the weather of the Levant." Taif roses were first documented by Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who visited Taif in 1814. They were then mentioned by Maurice Tamisier in 1834, Leon Roches in 1841, Charles Didier in 1854 and other travelers. One of the main historical stages of these roses was marked by a report developed by a committee and published by Al-Qibla newspaper in 1920. Farmers in Saudi Arabia also own old documents, such as Al-Tulhat and Al-Kamal families in Al-Shafa in 1880; and Al-Qadi and Al-Halwani in Al-Hada in 1887. Khaled Al-Amri, a researcher and specialist in Taif