This is Riyadh - The Desert Metropolis! (A Cultural Tour of Saudi Arabia's Capital City)

Saudi Arabia's vast capital city has remained off the tourist circuit for decades, preferring to restrict visitors to those wishing to do business. However, that situation is changing rapidly as Saudi Arabia opens to the world and Riyadh steps into the limelight as a global sporting, cultural and business hub.

I arrived in Riyadh with an image of a dusty city of busy highways and vast shopping malls. But as I soon found out, there’s much more to the city than those stereotypes. During my short visit I sampled the cultural life, went walking in the air (via a skybridge), stepped into the future and the past, experienced the Noor festival of light, and bought lot of dates!

Is there any history in Riyadh? Yes...
Al masmak fortress (palace) is now a museum that details how the the army of King Abdul Aziz retook the fort in the 1902 battle of riyadh. The restoration of Saudi control over the capital was a key event in the unification of the entire country and the establishment of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. Models and old photographs show clearly how even into the 50s Riyadh extended little beyond the fort’s walls. Nearby you'll find Justice Square, once violent but now an oasis for coffee lovers.

Is there any culture in Riyadh? Yes....
The national museum of Saudi Arabia is the jewel in Riyadh’s cultural crown. With a rich collection of artefacts It studies The history of the Arabian peninsula over the centuries from pre-islamic times to the modern Saudi state. You’ll find priceless examples of rock art, these standing stones are some of the earliest monuments of arabia and date from the 4th millennium bc. Curious how there’s an element of pop art in these ancient symbols. The hall dedicated to the Nabateans and their city at Hegra includes a recreation of one of the famous rock tombs. The story of the prophet Muhammed is, of course, given great prominence and I learnt a huge amount about his legendary flight to Medina to avoid his circling enemies in Mecca, a story that is close to the heart of all muslims but less well known in the wider world.
The halls dedicated to the two holy mosques at Mecca and Medina are a must see. For a non muslim this is as close to experiencing Mecca as I will ever get. The scale models are simply stunning.
The natural world is not forgotten, from stunning desert roses to a meteorite from the empty quarter.
In short, this is a world class museum.

What is the tallest building in Riyadh?
Kingdom tower sits above a shopping mall and its lobby has an art deco vibe. The 99 storeys include offices, a hotel and luxury apartments, all with incredible views over the city, but none that beat those of the skybridge 300m above the city streets.

What is the KAFD?
A host of world famous architects have been brought in to give shape to the KAFD (The King Abdullah Financial District). This city within a city feels to me a little like London’s Barbican centre, albeit updated for the 21st century in Arabia.
Whilst there I was lucky to catch the 3rd edition of Noor Riyadh, the largest light festival in the world.

I really enjoyed my short time (just 2 days) in Riyadh and hope to visit again.

Filmed November 2023
Jonathan Wheeler
‪@TravelObscurer‬
www.travelobscurer.com

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