Dir'iyah

Saudiarabia

Historic Sites

Declared a UNESCO World Site heritage in 2010, the ruins of the town of Dir'iyah - also spelled 'Ad Diriyah' - were built in 1466 by an Al-Saud clan ruler. Dir'iyah was the first capital city and the seat of power of the Saud dynasty from 1744 to 1818. The ruins include the ancient clan palaces made of mud brick, an ancient Wahhabi mosque, the city wall and urban constructions.

The oasis town of Dir'iyah is situated within the Turaif District within the valley of Wadi Hanifa in Riyadh. The area is known to have been inhabited 80,000 years ago, with rock carvings and various stone artifacts discovered in the area.

Today, with the growth of the capital city, the gates of Dir'iyah lie at the north-western periphery of Riyadh. Entry to the site is free. 

Photo credit (above): Blue Abaya Photography

Directions

Ad-Diriyah North-western outskirts of Riyadh, Riyadh

View Larger Map
My Guide Book Now! Dir'iyah

My Lists

Create New Guide

OR

Mini Guides
Arrow

Login to create your guides for Saudi Arabia.

Add to My Guide

Create New Guide

Cancel

Cancel

Recommended Experiences in Saudi Arabia

500+ trusted car hire partners globally

Create & Share your own Guide to Saudi Arabia with friends and family!

Add your recommended places to visit by browsing the website and pressing the icon.

Create your own guide of favourite 'must see' places

Earn your Local Expert badge by Sharing your guides with others

Get your guide seen by submitting it to the Mini Guides section

Lists

We Are Part of the My Guide Network!

My Guide Saudi Arabia is part of the global My Guide Network of Online & Mobile travel guides.

We are now in 120+ Destinations and Growing. If you are interested in becoming a local travel partner and would like to find out more then click for more info about our Website Business Opportunity.

Nearby Destinations

Events in Saudi Arabia

Filter Events by Sub-Category

Please select a Date first.

Search for a company in Saudi Arabia