Close to the border with Jordan sits the large city of Tabuk with its nearly one million residents and the largest air force base in the country. Historians believe the city to be so old it was once mentioned by Ptolemy, and later it was the location of a famous battle that began its long history of military excellence. The rich history of the area is obvious in the remaining landmarks and archaeological sites with forts, palaces, ancient inscriptions, and the remains of an old railway line that

once connected Damascus to Medina. Works of art carved into the rock wall along the Wadi Dam date back thousands of years, and inscriptions in languages such as Greek, Nabataean Arabic, and Thamudic are common. Tabuk Castle, built around 3500 BCE and fortified to provide safety and surveillance for pilgrims on the Hajj, sits near the Prophet's Mosque in Tabuk. The nearby Midian Mountains, mentioned throughout history in religious texts, are at a high enough elevation that they receive snow, a contrast to the otherwise desert climate of the area. The city also offers modern amenities such as malls, restaurants, universities, and the elaborately-landscaped Prince Fahed Bin Sultan Park.