Riyadh

State

Riyadh Province

Country

Saudi Arabia

Continent

Asia

Size

1,973 KM²

Population

7,231,000

Spending Budget

$808 - $2,007

Famous For

Al Masmak Fort
Deerah Souq
Diriyah
The National Museum

Best Time to Visit

January
February
November
December

History

The history of Riyadh dates back several centuries. The city was established in the Yamāmah region on the ruins of the old city of Ḥajr, which long served as a centre for the trading caravans that traversed the various parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Surrounded by many valleys, the development of the city was enhanced by numerous wells, palm groves, and green areas. Mid-17th-century Riyadh has been described as a small fortified village that belonged to a chain of settlements along Wadi Ḥanīfah, a low valley located at the western edge of the city. The wadi played a significant role in shaping the initial location and layout of the settlement: the availability of water and fertile land in the wadi was invested in the farming of dates and other crops, while village development was relegated to the plateau toward the east. In 1824 Riyadh was chosen as the capital of the Saʿūd dynasty, and it remained the centre of Saʿūd rule until 1881 when the Rashīd family of Ḥāʾil extended its influence over the central Najd region. In 1902, however, Ibn Saʿūd regained control for his family and used the city as the centre for his conquest of Arabia, which he completed by 1930 with the assimilation of ʿAsīr, the Red Sea coastal plain along the west of the Arabian Peninsula. When the unified Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was proclaimed in 1932, Riyadh was designated as the capital (see Saudi Arabia: The Wahhābī movement; Saudi Arabia: Second Saʿūdī state). The physical structure of Riyadh has undergone significant transformations from its early layout. In 1920 the city spanned an area of less than one-half square mile (1 square km) and was encircled by walls, within which a central mosque, a souk, houses, and palaces were located. By the 1930s Riyadh housed less than 30,000 inhabitants, with the city still enclosed within fortified walls. By the end of the 1940s, however, much of the original city wall structure had been demolished, and the urban area had grown to about 2 square miles (5 square km), with a population of 83,000. Many of the patterns of Riyadh’s early physical development—including narrow streets, courtyard houses, well-defined open spaces, and a community structured around the local mosque—held much in common with traditional Islamic cities across the Middle East. In the late 1960s, a Greek city planning firm was contracted to develop the first master plan for the city. The Doxiadis Plan (later revised by a French consulting group) introduced a linear development concept along a central spine running in a north-south direction, thus avoiding encroachment of the city on the Wadi Ḥanīfah system to the west, the boundaries of which have been the prime determinant of Riyadh’s present form and structure. A second distinctive feature of the plan was the pervasive grid street pattern, made up of 1.25-mile by 1.25-mile (2-km by 2-km) square blocks. As a result, the local scale of communities and neighbourhoods is largely composed of this flat, repetitive grid pattern; these blocks have mainly contained villas (often made up of two stories), built to the maximum plot coverage and surrounded by high walls to ensure much-valued privacy. The city has expanded to the north, and, contrary to the Doxiadis Plan, it has also grown toward the east and west. The grid-based road network created wide barriers between neighbourhoods, acting largely as a hindrance to integrating the city into a cohesive structure.

Present Day

Both the population and the land area of Riyadh continue to expand, applying increasing pressure on the city’s infrastructural networks and spatial capacity. Facing these challenges, the ADA completed 2002 its Metropolitan Development Strategy, in which it detailed a long-term vision for the city’s future as well as strategic plans and an implementation program for its shorter-term goals. In 2007 King ʿAbd Allāh launched a sweeping range of development plans for Riyadh, including nearly 2,000 projects designed to improve the city’s financial, medical, educational, telecommunications, and utility infrastructures. Life in Riyadh is concentrated around the city’s more than 4,000 mosques and its numerous busy shopping centres. The city’s central core and its many souks (marketplaces) attract heavy pedestrian traffic, emphasizing the city’s intense feeling of vitality. As residents of a major city in a mainly Muslim (see Islam) country, Riyadh’s inhabitants adhere to several social norms that include segregation of the sexes and the need to protect the privacy of the family. Recreational activities are often a family affair, and large public gatherings are mainly restricted to male attendants. However, many activity centres allow women and families to attend at special times or in reserved areas. Riyadh’s physical layout is dominated by its street system—a highly defined grid made up of 1.25-mile by 1.25-mile (2-km by 2-km) square blocks—which provides a network across the cityscape. This grid system is navigable, but it is also considered by some to be confining, because of its regimented compartmentalization of the city’s communities and neighborhoods. As the country’s capital, Riyadh hosts numerous government ministries and public services headquarters, making the public sector the city’s largest employer. The government employs more than one-third of the city’s workforce and is the source of approximately half of Riyadh’s total production of goods and services. Saudis account for more than nine-tenths of total government employees—a stark contrast to some of the other employment sectors, which are dominated by foreign workers. In the private sector, more than two-fifths of the workforce is employed in services, about one-fourth in construction, more than one-fifth in trade, and about one-tenth in industry. Riyadh is an important financial, business, and manufacturing centre. Several banks have headquartered in the city, including Saudi Arabia’s central bank and several national banks; numerous private companies are also located there, and every publicly quoted company is compelled by law to have an office in the city. About one-third of the country’s factories are located in Riyadh, producing machinery, equipment, metallurgical goods, chemicals, construction materials, food, textiles, furniture, and publications. The Janadriyah National Festival is the largest cultural festival in Saudi Arabia. It lasts up to two weeks and held at village Al Janadriyah which is about 42 km from Saudi Arabia. The festival has a camel race across a 19 km track and also includes traditional dances and songs.

Future

At the beginning of the millennium, Saudi Arabia’s economy saw a surge in profits and prosperity due to the rising prices of oil and increased demand for the resource across the globe. Drawing on Saudi Arabia’s ample natural supply, the oil boom from 2003 to 2013 launched the Kingdom into the most prosperous state it had seen in years, making it the 19th-largest economy in the world. During this period, the GDP doubled led to increased job opportunities. With government investment in education, infrastructure and healthcare, the country saw an increase of 1.7 million new jobs and the average household income rose by 75 percent. While the 2014–2015 oil price collapse means Saudi Arabia can no longer rely on the resource for revenue or economic growth, the Kingdom remains strong in its position and potential for growth through business opportunities. Focusing on an economic transformation based on productivity and diversification, the country is dedicated to building a vibrant society and thriving economy through global industry ventures — in fact, many of the nation’s Vision 2030 goals are already underway. As the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is the most populous city in the nation and is already one of the most rapidly growing cities in Saudi Arabia and the world. Located in the center of the Arabian peninsula, the city houses more than 6 million people and is expected to grow to 8 million by 2030. Not only is Saudi Arabia’s largest city growing in terms of population, but it’s rapidly expanding in income, motorization and urbanization as well. Alongside initiatives to improve quality of living, this growth led to the construction of the $22.5 billion Riyadh Metro and continues to drive the need for integrated transport systems. Building the city’s economy will coincide with Saudi Vision 2030’s goals to lower the rate of unemployment from 11 percent to seven percent as well as move into the world’s 15 top largest economies. As transportation and infrastructure projects progress, Riyadh continues to offer expanded business opportunities across increasingly diverse industries.

Must Visit Places ------------

Al Masmak Fort

Masmak Fort is among the most historically important sites in the city of Riyadh. “Masmak” means “strong,” and local legend suggests that if this fortress falls, the Kingdom will fall with it. This well preserved 19th-century clay and mudbrick fortress played a vital role in the recapturing of the city of Riyadh in 1902 –led by Ibn Saud– cementing its role in the unification of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The fortress is now a museum that offers visitors to look back to that key moment in history and beyond the history of Riyadh as the capital of the Kingdom.

Deerah Souq

Also known as Al-Thumairi Souq (because it’s along Thumairi Street) and Al-Zel Souq, the Deerah Souq is located in the old part of the city near the Al Masmak Fort. It is famous for its gold souq and antiques souq sections. Hundreds of little shops show a plethora of product that ranges from carpets, gold, silver, souvenirs, traditional clothes and props, antiques, and even furniture. Most shop owners speak some English, so this souq is very tourist-friendly. Hop from shop to shop and don’t be afraid to bargain.

Murabba Palace and the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center

The King Abdul Aziz Historical Center offers a unique journey through Saudi Arabia’s history. Although the center is built in a modern version of royal Saudi architecture, it surrounds the authentic former royal palace of Murabba – which is well worth a visit. The center is now considered the cultural heart of modern Riyadh. In fact, the center is not just this Murabba Palace complex, it consists of several historic buildings across the city, including Al Masmak Fortress.

Diriyah

Located on the northwestern outskirts of the city, Diriyah was once the home of the Saudi Royal family and the first Saudi capital. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was one of the largest cities on the Arabian Peninsula until it was destroyed and was actually destroyed in the early 19th-century during the year-long siege where the Ottoman and Saudi armies clashed.

The National Museum

Even though the National Museum is full of historic artifacts and located just next to Murabba Palace, it is housed in a modern building, which is why it’s in this category. It is also part of the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center. The museum contains an expansive collection of all things that define Saudi culture and its people. Everything from fossils, to old architecture and structures, Pre-Islamic trade routes, and items from the Arab Kingdoms are on display.

Sky Bridge at Kingdom Center

The Sky Bridge is located on the 50th floor of the Kingdom Tower, which is currently the third tallest skyscraper in Riyadh. The 65-meters long sky bridge gives you a perfect panoramic view of the city from 300 meters above the ground. At the base of the tower is the Kingdom Center Mall, where you can find all kinds of luxury brands. The views both day and night are stunning, but they are probably better at night when you can see the city lights and the other skyscrapers also glowing in various colors.

Al Faisaliah Tower

The Al Faisaliah Tower is another iconic tower in the Riyadh skyline. Its pointy shape towards the sky and golden shiny ball at its top make it unmissable – a geometric design that is a nod to the traditional Arabic design that once dominated the city. With 44 floors, this is the fourth tallest tower in the city and it towers over Riyadh at 267-metres high.

Riyadh Zoo

This zoo has Elephants, Giraffes, Monkeys, Camles etc. but one can't find lion or tiger in the zoo. They also have a train ride if one is tired to see the zoo by foot. Lots of kiosks are available inside. The zoo is large and not overcrowded at all.

Riyadh Water Park

This place is great for kids. It has a big Pool with few slides of different styles and a few other splash things for kids' entertainment. There is an ice-cream shop, a small tea shop and lots of open areas for parents to keep an eye on kids and relax. It also has a small garden, a toy store and small bits that you can rent.

Riyadh Paintball

Paintball games are stress busters while you thoroughly enjoy the combats against your opponents. One of the best places to go for paintball is ( 1st Paintball Riyadh ). The place is one of its kind and is the largest facility in the Middle East. It has huge outdoor as well as indoor arenas to let you enjoy paintball to the fullest. They provide all the necessary equipment required to play the game.