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Extent and formation
The Tuwaiq escarpment forms a narrow plateau in Riyadh Region, from the Thuwayrat sands in Al-Zulfi through Al-Washm and Al-Arid to the edge of the Rub al Khali, rising up to 600 m above the surrounding plains. [1]
Its name, a diminutive of tawq (collar), reflects its ring-like shape. It has sheer western cliffs and a gentle eastern slope and is made of limestone with coral remains showing the area was once under water. [1]
Wadis and history
Wadis descend from its eastern side, chief among them Wadi Hanifah. Settlement along its edges dates to prehistory, and pilgrim and trade caravans crossed it. On its slopes Saudi forces fought the Ottoman army in 1233 AH/1818 CE during the invasion of Diriyah, capital of the First Saudi State. [1]
Tourism and nature
Related topics
- RegionRiyadh RegionA central Saudi administrative region encompassing the national capital and varied Najdi governorates, with connections to Diriyah, oasis settlement, government and modern economic activity.
- Saudi statesThe First Saudi StateA state centred on Diriyah under Imam Muhammad bin Saud, officially dated in Saudi chronology to 1727. It expanded across Najd and other regions before its capital fell in 1818.
- EventQaryat al-FawQaryat al-Faw is an archaeological site in Wadi ad-Dawasir Governorate, south of the Riyadh Region, also known as Dhat Kahil, and served as the capital of the Kingdom of Kindah from the fourth century BCE until the early fourth century CE. The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2024.
- HistoricAl-Waol Ibex ReserveAl-Waol Ibex Reserve is a nature reserve in the Riyadh Region, supervised and managed by the National Center for Wildlife, located about 120 km south of Riyadh city within the Tuwaiq Mountains range. It was inscribed on 9 October 2024 in the Green List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, becoming the first reserve in the Kingdom to meet its standards.
- HistoricJabal Al-LawzJabal Al-Lawz is a mountain peak in north-western Saudi Arabia, located within the Madyan Mountains in the Tabuk region and rising 2,580 metres above sea level. It is known for the snow that settles on its summit in winter, and it contains rock carvings dating back more than ten thousand years.
- HistoricQiddiyaQiddiya is a Saudi city for entertainment, sports and culture located west of the capital Riyadh, and the first city in the world built on the concept of play. It is developed by Qiddiya Investment Company, one of the companies of the Public Investment Fund, and extends over an area of more than 360 square kilometres.
- HistoricAja and Salma MountainsThe Aja and Salma mountains are two mountain ranges in the Hail Region and among its most famous natural and heritage landmarks, forming a destination for environmental and mountain tourism and for archaeological sites that include the palace of Hatim al-Ta'i and Darb Zubaydah [1].
- EventKingdom of KindaThe Kingdom of Kinda was an ancient Arabian entity built on a federal organisation of Arabian desert tribes, with the archaeological city of Qaryat al-Faw in Wadi ad-Dawasir Governorate as its capital. The Cultural Landscape of the Al-Faw Archaeological Area was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2024 CE, and it is managed by the Heritage Commission of the Ministry of Culture and the National Centre for Wildlife.
- HistoricEdge of the WorldThe Edge of the World is a natural site at the far end of the Tuwaiq mountain range in the centre of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, about 100 kilometres from the capital, Riyadh, at an elevation of some 1,131 metres. It is one of the most prominent natural landmarks in the Kingdom, and is listed among the tourist attractions of the city of Riyadh as a destination for desert views, escarpments and adventure and nature experiences.