Touristic Program
Saudia National museum
Set aside a day to explore centuries of Arabian prehistory, history, culture and art at the Kingdom’s biggest and most entertaining museum. Housed within striking modernist architecture and flower-wreathed gardens, the National Museum exhibits everything from Neolithic rock art, to replicas of the buildings of old Jeddah, transporting visitors on a magically interactive tour of the ages. Come on weekdays for a less crowded experience, and take your time exploring the museum’s eight halls. While a regular rotation of activities, guest exhibitions and programmes keeps the content fresh, here’s a sample of the permanent collections on offer to delve into.
diriyah
Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh is a modern-day metropolis, complete with towering skyscrapers and a 99-floor sky bridge. But intertwined within this city is a deep-rooted sense of tradition and history just waiting to be explored. Located in the heart of Riyadh in the city’s old quarter, is the 150-year-old Al Masmak Fortress. A vast clay and mud-brick citadel that witnessed the rise of a kingdom, Al Masmak serves as a proud reminder of Saudi Arabia’s storied history. Its capture by King Abdul Aziz in 1902 marked the first step towards the consolidation of the Kingdom under the Saud name, and the founding of the Saudi nation as we know it today
Jeddah
Historic Jeddah is situated on the eastern shore of the Red Sea. From the 7th century AD it was established as a major port for Indian Ocean trade routes, channeling goods to Mecca. It was also the gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca who arrived by sea. These twin roles saw the city develop into a thriving multicultural centre, characterized by a distinctive architectural tradition, including tower houses built in the late 19th century by the city’s mercantile elites, and combining Red Sea coastal coral building traditions with influences and crafts from along the trade routes
El- Masmak
Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh is a modern-day metropolis, complete with towering skyscrapers and a 99-floor sky bridge. But intertwined within this city is a deep-rooted sense of tradition and history just waiting to be explored. Located in the heart of Riyadh in the city’s old quarter, is the 150-year-old Al Masmak Fortress. A vast clay and mud-brick citadel that witnessed the rise of a kingdom, Al Masmak serves as a proud reminder of Saudi Arabia’s storied history. Its capture by King Abdul Aziz in 1902 marked the first step towards the consolidation of the Kingdom under the Saud name, and the founding of the Saudi nation as we know it today
