Origins and history
Diriyah was founded in 850 AH/1446 CE by Mani al-Muraydi and later became the capital of the First Saudi State, founded by Imam Muhammad bin Saud in 1139 AH/1727 CE; it is the ancestral home of the Al Saud. [1]
Historians link the name to the Duru' clan of Mani al-Muraydi. It was once called Al-Awja, a reference to its winding position on Wadi Hanifah. [1]
Related people
- PersonImam Muhammad bin SaudFounder and first imam of the First Saudi State in 1139 AH/1727 CE, who made Diriyah its capital and ruled for forty years, uniting most of Najd.
- PersonImam Faisal bin Turki Al SaudImam Faisal bin Turki Al Saud was the second Imam of the Second Saudi State. He ruled in two periods: the first from 1250 AH/1834 CE to 1254 AH/1838 CE, and the second from 1259 AH to 1282 AH (1843–1865 CE).
- PersonImam Saud bin Abdulaziz Al SaudImam Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al Saud was the third imam of the First Saudi State, which took Diriyah as its capital. He led the Saudi forces at the First Battle of Al-Hanakiyah in 1228 AH/1813 CE, was described as close to his people and humble in his dealings, and his era saw the scholarly councils of Diriyah flourish.
- PersonImam Abdullah bin SaudImam Abdullah bin Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al Saud was the last imam of the First Saudi State, ruling after the death of his father over the period 1229–1233 AH/1814–1818. During his reign the siege of Diriyah took place; he then surrendered and was transferred to Egypt and then to Constantinople.
- PersonImam Muhammad bin Abdul WahhabImam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab was a Saudi reformer who lived and taught in Diriyah and called for the oneness of God and a return to what the Prophet, peace be upon him, brought; his call became tied to the Saudi family, and from Diriyah the influence of the First Saudi State spread.
Location and landscape
Diriyah lies on Wadi Hanifah about 20 km north-west of central Riyadh, with Al-Jubaylah and Al-Uyaynah upstream to the north. Wadi Hanifah runs for more than 120 km from west of Al-Uyaynah towards the south-east. [1]
At-Turaif
Historic sites and museums
Development
The Diriyah Gate Development Authority, established by royal order in 1438 AH/2017 CE, is responsible for Diriyah's urban, economic and cultural development and for managing its environment and public facilities. [1]
Tourism and nature
Related topics
- Urban historyHistory of DiriyahDiriyah developed beside Wadi Hanifah and became the First Saudi State's capital. At-Turaif preserves evidence of its political history and Najdi architecture.
- 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.
- TopicThe Public Investment FundThe Public Investment Fund is a Saudi fund established in 1971 CE/1391 AH under Royal Decree No. (M/24), and linked in 1436 AH/2015 CE to the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. The assets it manages exceed SAR 3.4 trillion, and its activity spans three investment portfolios and giga-projects including NEOM, Qiddiya, the Red Sea, Roshn, and Diriyah.
- HistoricDiriyah GateDiriyah Gate is a development, cultural, and tourism project in Diriyah, northwest of Riyadh. It comprises At-Turaif, which is inscribed on the World Heritage List, and presents more than 600 years of the history and culture of Saudi Arabia.
- HistoricDiriyah SeasonDiriyah Season is a cultural and entertainment season held in Diriyah Governorate in the Riyadh region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, part of the Saudi Seasons initiative, whose first edition launched in 2019.
- EventEgyptian Campaign on DiriyahThe Egyptian Campaign on Diriyah was a military campaign directed at the First Saudi State, launched by a commission from the Ottoman Sultan to Muhammad Ali, who assumed the rule of Egypt in 1220 AH; its forces reached Diriyah in 1233 AH/1818 CE after wars that lasted nearly seven years.
- HistoricNajdi ArchitectureNajdi Architecture is a Saudi architectural style that expresses the urban identity of the Najd region, and it draws on local construction materials in a design adapted to the desert climate. Its applications continue in modern urban projects, competitions and cultural events inside the Kingdom and abroad.
- 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.