GESALO SPECIAL Historical capital:

The Turaif district in

Diriyah was the
original home of the
Saudi royal dynasty.

Bujeiri - Cultural gateway to Diriyah

The Diriyah Historical Development Program not only in-
cludes Turaif (south from Wadi Hanifah), but also Bujeiri
on the opposite side of the wadi. “Bujeiri is considered
to be the first university in Najd area, from which many
generations of the Wahabi movement scholars graduated”,
says an SCTH spokesman. “The new Sheikh Mohammed
bin Abdul Wahab Foundation will be an academic insti-
tution concerned with the Sheikh’s scholarly and intel-
lectual heritage, his school of thought and the Da’wah
(mission) faith studies. The mud building of Atthowaihi-

DISCOVER rah Mosque will be restored in the traditional way, this

20
km north from Riyadh, Diriyah is considered project is supported by H.R.H. Prince Sultan bin Salman
to be one of the historically most impor- bin Abdulaziz, the president of SCTH”. Visitors enjoy
tant cities that flourished in the beginning
of the 18th century. It used to be the biggest city on the
Arabian peninsula with inhabitants coming from Hijaz,
DIRIYAH parking facilities, a park and a central square with access
to shops and restaurants and they will hopefully enjoy
“the glorious past and the bright future” of Diriyah soon.
Iraq, the Levant, Oman and Yemen. Surrounded by fertile A mud “ghost city” became UNESCO Originally the opening was planned for end of 2017, but
areas and easy access to water, it enjoyed long lasting World Heritage Site in 2010 and one has yet to be confirmed officially.
trading relationships with the surrounding cities. Most
significant is an event that changed the fate of the region:
of the most ambitious restauration
in 1744 Imam Mohamed bin Saud (Emir of Diriyah) and projects of the Saudi Commission BARBARA SCHUMACHER has published as a renowned
the religious reformer Imam Mohamed bin Abdul Wahab for Culture and Heritage (SCTH): Kingdom of
travel journalist more than 600 articles about the Arab world.
struck an agreement of mutual support and loyalty - that
up to now is the base of today’s Kingdom. Less than a
Diriyah, capital of the First Saudi Saudi Arabia
Diriyah
hundred years later Diriyah was destroyed and burnt by State from 1744-1818.
Ibrahim Pasha and his Turco-Egyptian army in 1818 and
Riyadh
the empty ruins were left abandoned.
by a partly renovated city wall with small watchtowers. works and one about the lo-
Diriyah since 2001 The ceilings of the houses were made of tamarisk- or cations history. Most impor-
On my first visit to the National Museum in Riyadh in athil-wood and palm material, many in surprisingly good tantly the Imam Mohammed
2001, I learned about Diriyah, especially about the Turaif condition. Most walls of the palaces are designed with Bin Saud Grand Mosque will be
Quarter: Some historical facts and figures came together fine geometrical patterns. Additionally Turaif comprises renovated. Five new museums will
with an amazing aerial photograph that made me decide the biggest number and most important buildings in the be established in palaces and the
to visit Turaif. Next to the mosque, in the Bujeiri quarter I area, for that reason Diriyah became an UNESCO heritage neighboring mud houses: Salwa Palace will be the home
walked over a bridge, crossing the Wadi Hanifah (a valley) site. Since 2015 the area is closed for renovation, never- of Diriyah Museum showing the fate of the First Saudi
and carried on to the top of a hill. Only few visitors could theless the Diriyah Historical Development Program runs State. The facade of Salwa Palace will be one of the areas
be met and it took me several hours of walking, along an excellent showroom nearby. In 2017 it was already for multimedia shows; two more will be established on
narrow sandy streets, passing eleven mud palaces, to possible to see renovated areas in Turaif from the outlook the facades of Faisal Tower and on the opposite side of

Photos: Barbara Schumacher (3)

finally arrive atop. At the time only the two-stored Saad in Bujeiri. the city wall. The Omar bin Saud Palace will be home to
Bin Saud Palace in perfect Najd-styled architecture with the Social Life Museum, Theniyah bin Saud Palace will
a columned inner court yard, some stables on the outside Turaif: Palaces turn into museums house the Military Museum and a Trade and Treasury Mu-
and the smaller Nasir Bin Saud Palace were renovated. Turaif will be a cultural hub and a huge open-air museum seum, as well as a market for locally produced handicraft
However in, 2013, I was able to admire the architecture in line with the archaeological and historical meaning of items. In the mud buildings adjacent to Imam Abdullah
Open-air museums: The ruins of Diriyah will give an
of bath, mosques and hundreds of ruins of mud buildings Diriyah. Apart from an impressive visitor center there will bin Saud Palace, visitors will find the Arabian Horse Mu- impressive insight into the Saudi history.
on sandstone fundaments up to the horizon, surrounded be two documentation centers – one for the restauration seum featuring a real Asil Arabian Stud.

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