A capital on the wadi
Diriyah lies about 20 km northwest of central Riyadh, on the banks of Wadi Hanifah at roughly 700 m above sea level. It was founded in 1446 by Mani' al-Muraydi, ancestor of the Al Saud, and in 1727 became the capital of the First Saudi State.
Its historic heart is at-Turaif, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010. Across the valley stand al-Bujairi and Samhan, the other historic districts of the old town.
From restoration to giga-project
A royal order of 7 October 1998 approved the Historic Diriyah Development Program, entrusting its plans to what is now the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. Its main phase covered at-Turaif, al-Bujairi and the roads and utilities that bind them.
The wider Diriyah project is the fifth giga-project owned by the Public Investment Fund, with a budget of SAR 240 billion and a target of 27 million visitors by 2030. In 2021 ALECSO named Diriyah Arab Capital of Culture for 2030.