A place of beginnings, old and new

The birthplace of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and ancestral home to the Al Saud family, Diriyah is a place of history and heritage to Saudis, a vital source of cultural identity and national pride.

In the 18th century, Diriyah grew from an oasis settlement, established in a fertile bend in the Wadi Hanifah - Al Awja - into the capital of the first Saudi State, a new nation whose epic history determined the course of peoples and empires far beyond the borders of Arabian Peninsula.

Today, Diriyah stands at the forefront of Saudi Arabia's plans for its future as a unique cultural capital, with UNESCO World Heritage site At-Turaif at its core. A place of culture, innovation, and contemporary creativity, Diriyah will reacquaint Saudis with the lives and achievements of their ancestors and the living traditions, stories and history they share.