Taif: Saudi Arabia’s City Of Roses (image-X/BaytAlFann)
Nestled in a narrow valley with high walls, the city of Taif is located on the slopes of the Hijaz Mountains in the Province of Makkah in Saudi Arabia. Known for its palms, the city used to be the capital of the former Kingdom.
It is widely believed that Prophet Muhammad visited the city in the early 7th century. The tribe of Banu Thaqif, an Arab tribe that played a crucial role in the history of Islam, inhabited Taif. In fact, the city is still inhabited by the descendants of the tribe.
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(image-X/BaytAlFann)
With a rich and deep-rooted history, Taif is also known for its roses. The fragrant flowers and perfume factories in Taif are popular for their blooms. From planting to harvesting and production, the city’s rose fields and lush greenery are simply a treat to the senses.
During the months of March and April, the waft of fresh flowers takes the city over with the rose harvest. Visitors can watch rose farmers in action as they pluck the fresh flowers with delicate and skilled hands, an art that has been passed from generations to generations.
(image-X/BaytAlFann)
The cultivation of roses, apart from agriculture, is central to the economy of Taif. Beginning in December, the flowers bloom after roughly 55 days, and the beautiful scent rises above the city. Once spring arrives, they are plucked carefully and sent to the rose oil factories.
Traditionally used as an ‘attar’ in the Middle East, the distilled rose oil made from Taif’s famous Rosa Damascena trigintipetala has come to be known as the “Taif rose.”
(image-X/BaytAlFann)
Organised by the Ministry of Culture in Al Rudaf Park, the Taif Rose Festival takes place every year with live performances, music, and perfume-making workshops for all. In its second edition, the Taif Rose Festival set a Guinness world record for the biggest basket of roses, with 84,450 assorted roses. Over 168 hours of work by nearly 190 young men and women from the city contributed to making it.
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(image-X/BaytAlFann)
What’s even more amazing is that visitors can take a tour of the rose factories to see the behind-the-scenes of producing the divine rose oil. With a detailed and exciting tour through each step of the production, tourists can understand the local craft and the city’s deep-rooted tradition of transforming rose petals into oils, rose water, creams, and more.
