As the world marks World Architecture Day on the first Monday of October, the stone buildings of Al-Baha Region stand as living evidence of the skill of local builders, whose distinctive style grew out of the region's rough terrain and changeable climate.

The style is most visible in the heritage villages spread across the highlands and mountainsides, where houses of stone and mud form a tight urban fabric threaded with narrow lanes and passages.

Designs followed the lie of the land. Some houses rose two storeys, with livestock and fodder kept on the ground floor and the family living above.

Walls were built from local stone, while timber was used for ceilings, columns and doors, a practical use of what the surroundings provided. The villages also contain historic forts, mosques and traditional homes.

Work is now under way to conserve and restore these villages and heritage sites, protecting Al-Baha's architectural legacy and opening it to visitors.