General information
Destination |
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Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
Program details
We drive for 30 minutes to Ad-Diriyah, located on the western bank of the Wadi Hanifah, a dry riverbed where water flows only after big rains.
Ad-Diriyah used to be the capital of the Najd (the central plateau of the Arabian Peninsula) from the 15th century until the beginning of the 18th century. It is the birthplace of the first Saudi Kingdom and its importance in the history of the Arabian Peninsula was highlighted when it was listed as
UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 2010, as the most brilliant example of
Najdi architecture. The history of Ad-Diriyah goes back thousands of years as it was on an
ancient trade and pilgrimage route, acting as a meeting point for those traveling to or from Asia, Africa and Europe.
Our visit to the site allows us to admire its
incredible architecture before returning to downtown Riyadh.
As we drive towards the city, we have the opportunity to admire the rapid development of this cosmopolitan capital, planned by the Saudi government to
become the biggest metropole in the Middle East in the next 10 years.