Ha'il

The city of Hail was the capital of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar from 1836 until the Saudi conquest of the emirate in 1921. The emirate was ruled by the Rashidi dynasty and was supported by the Ottoman Empire. The first emir, Abdullah bin Ali, took power with his brother Emir Obaid and Jabbr's sons. He continued constructing the Barzan Palace in Hail, which had been started by Muhammad bin Abdul Muhsin of the Emirate of Al Ali, the predecessor state that ruled Hail between 1489 and 1834. After Abdullah bin Ali's death in 1848, his son and successor, Talal bin Abdullah, completed the palace. …

Samra Mountain overlooks the city. This is where Hatim al-Tai lit a fire on the summit to welcome guests. Today an asphalt road leads to the summit where a natural gas-powered fire is lit at night. There is a park with a lake at the bottom of the mountain, and on the side of the mountain is the Emblem of Saudi Arabia (date palm and crossed swords) made from electric lights which are turned on at night. Aja Mountain (Jabal Aja) is on the opposite side of Hail city from As-Samra. A huge Saudi flag made of electric lights, turned on at night, is located on the side of the mountain. The Adayra Valley runs roughly along a north–south axis, dividing central Ha'il in two. Hail has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) with hot summers and cool winters with frequent frosts. It has a somewhat milder climate than other Saudi cities due to its higher altitude.

Barzan Palace was a historic palace that used to be located in Hail up until the 1920s. It was built in 1808 by Prince Muhammad bin Abdul-Muhsin Al Ali over an area of more than 300,000 square meters. The Palace was completed during the rule of the 2nd Rashidi emir, Talal bin Abdullah (1848–68). The Palace consisted of 3 floors, the first had the reception halls, gardens, and kitchens. The second had the diplomatic guest rooms. The third had the royal family rooms. It was demolished at the orders of Ibn Saud after the conquest of Hail in 1921. Barzan Souk is in the place where many years ago stood the Barzan Palace of the Rashidi extended family who governed the area around Hail. Friday Market is a traditional-style souk, held on Friday because it is a national weekend. …

Hail International Airport serves as the main airport for the city and province, providing both domestic and limited international flights. Hail is served by Hail railway station, which is part of the Riyadh–Qurayyat railway operated by Saudi Arabia Railways. The station was opened in 2017 and connects Hail with Riyadh, Majmaah, Al-Qassim, Al-Jouf, and Qurayyat.

Hatim al-Tai was a famous Arabian poet who lived before Muhammad's preaching of Islam, and the father of the latter's companion Adi ibn Hatim and Safana bint Hatim. He was a Christian, and belonged to the Tayy Arabian tribe. Stories about his extreme generosity have made him an icon to Arabs up till the present day, as in the proverbial phrase "more generous than Hatim". There is a hill overlooking the city of Hail which has a reproduction of the campfire he lit to welcome his guests, which is turned on every night and can be seen from the center of the town. He was the ruler of his tribe. After Hatim's death, his son Adi became the ruler of Tayy. He also became a Muslim in 628 after a meeting with Muhammad. Abdulaziz bin Mutaib Al Rashid was the son of the third emir of the Rashidi dynasty. He was adopted by his uncle, Mohammed, the fifth emir, and was brought up as his heir. …