Prince Sultan offers oldest pictures of Mecca and al-Madina to libraries

Saudi Minister of Defense and Aviation Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz has offered a collection of unique photographs for Mecca and al-Madina al-Munawara to the libraries of the two cities.

Last June, the Saudi government bought the photographs in an auction organized in London at 1.3 million pounds sterling (US $ 2.1 million). The pictures, which were taken by Egyptian photographer Mohammed Sadiq Bey during the years 1881-1882, show the main monuments in the two cities, foremost being the big mosque in Mecca, and the Ka'ba and "the black stone" in the center of the Mosque.

The collection, containing the oldest known pictures of the two cities, also includes several photographs of pilgrims' camps.