Diriyah

Diriyah, Saudi Arabia

Morning sunlight strikes the ancient mud-brick walls and towers of At-Turaif in Diriyah across the wadi valley.

Go for the mud-brick quarter of At-Turaif, the first home of the Saudi rulers, and for a clear view of how a desert town was built into its valley.

The place

Diriyah is a town on the north-western edge of Riyadh, the Saudi capital, and it sits in a narrow valley that runs southwards through the city. The town has around 43,000 people and stands about 694 metres above sea level, so winter evenings are noticeably cooler than in the city's lowlands. Diriyah is the seat of its own governorate, which takes in several smaller villages, and the whole area belongs to Riyadh Province.

The heart of a visit is the old town of mud brick, which spreads over hills on either side of Wadi Hanifa. The ruins fall into three districts: Ghussaibah, Al-Mulaybeed and At-Turaif. At-Turaif is the highest and the easiest to walk into from below, and it was the first seat of the Saudi family here. Sections of the old city wall still follow the valley edge, with observation towers standing above them.

Below the ruins, the modern town has grown at the foot of the hill. To its north lie gardens, palm groves and small farms fed by water from the valley. The old quarters have been restored rather than left as bare ruins, and the area now draws weekend visitors from Riyadh. The National Museum in Riyadh holds a large model of the old city, which helps you read the layout before you walk it.

Its story

Diriyah's story begins with a small settlement in the valley, which chroniclers of the Nejd region say was founded in the mid-fifteenth century by Mani' Al-Muraydi, an ancestor of the Saudi royal family. He and his clan had come from eastern Arabia at the invitation of a local ruler, and the first homes they built in the quarters of Ghussaibah and Al-Mulaybeed took that ruler's name. Turaif was settled later, and the whole cluster of mud-brick houses came to be called Diriyah.

The valley appears in much older accounts as well. In the earliest Islamic period, a small raiding party sent out from Medina struck a local clan in this area and returned with captives and booty. It is a single episode, though, and the town's real importance came centuries later.

From the eighteenth century the family used Diriyah as the base for a growing state. Under the first Saudi dynasty it was the capital of the emirate, and the palaces, guest houses and mosque built there belong to that period. The state's expansion eventually drew it into a larger conflict. The city was taken in an invasion in 1818 that brought the first Saudi state to an end, and much of the mud-brick town was left to decline.

Recovery came slowly. Restoration in later decades brought At-Turaif back into view, and the district was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, which is why its walls and courtyards now draw visitors from across the country.

What to see

Culture

Diriyah is a heritage site, but it is also a place where people live, work and pray, so behave as you would when visiting a village for the first time. The mud-brick quarters are quiet in the early morning, and the old mosque is a working place of worship rather than a backdrop, so keep your voice low and follow any signs about where you may walk. Saudi families value privacy, so greet people politely and keep a respectful distance when photographing a house or courtyard. Meals at the restaurants along Bujairi Terrace are unhurried and social, and hospitality is generous, so accept coffee when it is offered and let your host set the pace. Dress modestly in the old quarters, with shoulders and knees covered, and follow the lead of local visitors when you are unsure. Ask before you photograph any person, especially women, and do not climb the mud-brick walls or step into a courtyard that is closed off.

What to wear

Traditional dress in central Arabia is built around loose, modest garments that suit the heat and the dust. Men traditionally wear the thobe, a long white robe of cotton, often with a ghutra, a cotton headcloth, held in place by a black cord called an agal. Women's older dress in the Najd region includes the embroidered thoub, a long dress with bright stitching on dark fabric, worn for weddings and celebrations.

Today many men in Diriyah and Riyadh wear the thobe and ghutra every day. Many women wear the abaya, a loose black cloak, which now comes in a range of cuts and sleeves, sometimes with a face veil. Visitors are not expected to wear national dress, but they should dress with care.

For a visit, choose loose, breathable cotton or linen. In spring and autumn a light long-sleeved shirt with loose trousers or a long skirt is comfortable, and in summer pale colours help. The At-Turaif paths are uneven, with loose stones and mud brick underfoot, so choose closed shoes with good grip. Carry a light shawl to cover your hair and shoulders where needed, particularly near the mosque.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. December to February: winters are cool and dry, so the old quarters are comfortable for walking. Avoid the middle of the day from May to September, when summers are long, sweltering and arid.

How long. 1–2

Getting there. Fly into Riyadh, then take a taxi or ride-hailing car to Diriyah. There is no public transport, and the town is about 15 km from KAFD in northern Riyadh.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources