Hair Al-Surur in Hail brings ancestral heritage to life for new generations

Hair Al-Surur, a heritage landmark in Hail, showcases the traditional way of life once experienced by previous generations. It revives the details of simple living, social solidarity, and perseverance through past hardships. The site stands as a model of individual and community efforts to preserve and revive local heritage for new generations and visitors.

Mutlaq bin Nasser Al-Surur, owner of Hair Al-Surur, explained that the concept is not new but rather an extension of the lifestyle that Hail residents have known for decades. He noted that the project aims to revive these details and present them in a way that authentically reflects the past.

Features and traditional architecture

The project goes beyond simply collecting antiques, focusing instead on restoring and developing Hair Al-Surur as a miniature city that embodies Hail’s traditional lifestyle. The site is distinguished by its mud, adobe, and tamarisk wood buildings, and narrow streets reminiscent of children’s play in earlier times. The traditional Hail house includes a winter men’s sitting room (the "qahwa"), a summer sitting area (the "liwan"), bedrooms, an upper "roshan" (balcony), a storeroom for provisions ("Dar Al-Mahal"), a kitchen ("Maqad"), a family winter lounge ("Masakhen"), a rest area ("Qubbah"), a women’s sitting room ("Dar Al-Hareem"), and an animal pen ("Maragha").

Traditional market and heritage facilities

Hair Al-Surur features a traditional market with 25 shops offering a variety of goods and services, from food, vegetables, and meat to farming tools, vintage furniture, barbering, herbal medicine, textiles, a traditional bakery, ghee, bookstores, tailoring, and other crafts. The site also includes a mosque, a classroom, models of traditional games, and vendors selling kerosene and alfalfa, all reflecting the details of daily life in the past.

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The project highlights the importance of heritage in preserving the memory of place and introducing new generations to the challenges faced by their ancestors, as well as the simplicity, contentment, patience, and solidarity that characterized their lives. Hair Al-Surur serves as a living record of Hail’s people and places, offering visitors a glimpse into the region’s social and economic history.