Ushaiger


Ushaiger is a small village near Shagra in Saudi Arabia. It is north-west of Riyadh.
Ushaiger is one of the oldest towns in the Saudi region of Najd and it was a major stopping point for pilgrims coming from Kuwait, Iraq and Iran to perform Hajj or Umrah. It was originally known as A'ekel but the name was eventually changed to Ushaiger. It was changed because the town is bordered by a small mountain north of the village. The mountain is red in color, yet locals said it was blonde simply because red and blonde were used interchangeably in the old days. Ushaiger means the "Small Blonde", which is a description of that particular mountain.
Historical Ushaiger belongs to the Tamim tribe although other tribes lived there as well. It is also the home land to many families in the Arabian Peninsula. The known families are Al-Hussaini, Al-Elsheikh, Al-Thani and & Al-Bassam etc.
The historical importance of the village is that its old mud buildings are still untouched. Therefore, it is considered one of the most attractive historical areas in the region.
Lately, the people of Ushaiger had restored the historical village to preserve its heritage and built a museum which displays various relics and pieces from the village.