At-Turaif District
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 Salwa Palace | |
 Interactive map of At-Turaif District | |
| Location | Diriyah, Saudi Arabia |
| Criteria | Cultural: iv, v, vi |
| Reference | 1329 |
| Inscription | 2010 (34th Session) |
| Coordinates | 24°44′00″N 46°34′32″E / 24.73333°N 46.57556°E |
  At-Turaif District Location of At-Turaif District in Saudi Arabia | |
At-Turaif is a historic district located in Diriyah, north-west of Riyadh. It is regarded as one of the more important political and historical sites in Saudi Arabia, as it represented the capital of the early Saudi kingdom. It was the original home of the House of Saud and was the country's first capital from 1727 until Ottoman conquest of the area in 1818.[1][2]
History
At-Turaif was founded in the 15th century. On July 31, 2010, largely because of the site's Najdi architecture, UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List.[1][3][2] Moreover, At-Turaif played a role in the Arabian Peninsula's political unification, serving as the capital of an independent Arab state, representing an important phase in the human settlement of the Najd region.[2]
Sacked by the Ottomans in 1818 in the Siege of Diriyah and abandoned in favour of Riyadh, the area remained deserted until 2000, when the Ad-Diriyah Development Authority was commissioned to carry out an impressive restoration project aimed at transforming this settlement, unknown to most, into an international tourist destination.[4]
Historic palaces and monuments At-Turaif
Historic palaces and monuments in the At-Turaif district include:[5]
- Salwa Palace
- Saad bin Saud Palace
- The Guest House and At-Turaif Bath House
- Imam Mohammad bin Saud Mosque
At-Turaif restoration program
In December 2018, Saudi Arabia launched a restoration program for the At-Turaif historic district aimed at documenting its archaeological sites and transforming it into an open museum.[6]
The project was part of the country's "Saudi Vision 2030" plan aimed at increasing both domestic and international tourism.[6]
The At-Turaif Living Museum (UNESCO World Heritage Site) received the ‘National Winner’ status in the Social, Cultural and Heritage Project of the Year category at the 2020 MEED Project Awards.[7]
Gallery
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Salwa Palace -
Salwa Palace -
Al-Turaif Mosque -
Arda House -
Traditional wooden door -
Costume of Imam Abdullah bin Saud displayed in Diriyah Galley -
Trade and Treasury Gallery
References
- ^ a b "At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
- ^ a b c "At-Turaif: How Saudi Arabia is bolstering future tourism by reviving past treasures". Arab News. 2018-12-11. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
- ^ "Turaif District". www.sauditourism.sa. Archived from the original on 2019-05-05. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
- ^ Goppion. "Atturaif Living Museum - Projects". Goppion. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
- ^ "Turaif Quarter - Unesco World Heritage Site | For World Heritage Travellers". www.worldheritagesite.org. Retrieved 2019-02-04.
- ^ a b "King Salman to launch At-Turaif district restoration programme". ArabianBusiness.com. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
- ^ "Arab News". 25 March 2020.
