Saudi Arabia Destroyed 98 Percent of Its Cultural Heritage
ARTNET NEWS
By Lorena Muñoz-Alonso
SAUDI ARABAI---According to the UK-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, over 98 percent of Saudi Arabia's historical and religious sites have been destroyed since 1985, Time reports. The expansion of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, begun in 2011 with a staggering $21 billion budget, has created the biggest controversy. Saudi officials argue that the expansion is necessary to accommodate the increasing number of pilgrims to the city, currently in the realm of 17 million individuals each year. [link]
By Lorena Muñoz-Alonso
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| Construction cranes around the Kaaba in Mecca, in 2013 Photo: Amr Abdallah Dalsh via Reuters |
