Saudi_Architecture

INSIDE THE CULTURE CAPITAL

Travel back in time in AlUla

Millennia-old mausoleums and towering rocky outcrops make the UNESCO-listed AlUla a must-visit for history buffs. Dating back 200,000 years, it’s one of the oldest regions in the Arabian Peninsula. Start at Hegra, home to 2,000-year-old Nabataean tombs, carved into the cliff faces. From here, seek out Elephant Rock; marvel at the 50m high sandstone monolith as it rises out of the desert floor, best seen at sunset. AlUla also boasts a huge concentration of rock art and carved inscriptions, left thousands of years ago by travellers, pilgrims and residents alike. These timeless traces of the cultures that visited and settled here make for an incredible outdoor art tour and a fascinating journey into the past. (For a contemporary perspective, don’t miss the AlUla Arts Festival. Held every spring, it boasts a jam-packed schedule of outdoor art exhibitions, film screenings and theatre productions, featuring female artists such as Claudia Comte and Shadia Alem.) Continue your architectural adventure by heading east to Jubbat Hail, a former caravan route through the Nefud Desert, known for its Mesolithic-era rock carvings. It gives a remarkable insight into human history over 5,000 years ago; spot men wearing headdresses, monkeys, gazelles and a two-wheeled cart. If you’ve got time, visit the off-the-beaten-track Dhee Ayn Ancient Village, just south of Jeddah. Gleaming stone buildings cling to a white marble hillside, dotted with banana palms and lemon trees. Stroll past abandoned houses – some dating back to the 8th Century – before stopping at the eye-shaped Ain Gardens.

PARTNER CONTENT

wonders

Dana AlAmri

SPOTLIGHT ON:

When it comes to representing the next generation of Saudi female architects, Dana AlAmri is at the forefront. The Saudi architect graduated from Effat University in Jeddah, before co-founding her own architecture firm, Watad Studio. From residential homes to shopping malls, her crisp modern aesthetic seeks to raise design standards across the country. Sustainability lies at the heart of her practice; she worked on the Solar Ovens Project which aimed to boost education around solar panels after flooding in Jeddah. It’s easy to see why she was shortlisted in the Rising Star category for the Women in Architecture and Construction Award in 2019.

Riyadh’s Al Murabba Palace is a monument to Saudi’s captivating past

Project Director: Tom Warner Editor: Laura MacBeth Senior Designer: Loraine Fajutag Images: Visit Saudi, Getty Images, Shutterstock and Alamy

Produced by Independent Ignite

Partner content

Explore centuries of history, culture and art at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia

The King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre surrounds the former royal palace of Murabba

Known as the bottle opener, the 41-storey Kingdom Centre is the fifth tallest skyscraper in Saudi

Dive deep into Jeddah’s extraordinary past at this enormous private collection, housed inside a traditional Hijazi building. Learn about the 2,500 year-old history of the city as well as the origins of Islam.

Tayebat Museum, Jeddah

Fascinated by space? This world-class science museum has an enormous observatory, primed for stargazing in the clear Arabian skies, as well as interactive displays, detailing man’s exploration of the universe. Top it off with a screening of the latest space documentary on the 24m-high screen at the IMAX.

Scitech Technology Center, Khobar

Who said art needs to be created on canvas? Opening in 2022, Diriyah promises to be Saudi's first digital arts centre and the first educational centre of its kind in the world. Join a workshop on creative computing, visit the state-of-the-art library or browse the kaleidoscopic art shop.

Diriyah Art Futures, Riyadh

Take a culture trip around Saudi

From the surreally bright lilac jacarandas of Abha to the snow-white mountains of Tabuk and the dappled sea green of Lake Kharrarah, Saudi's diverse terrain comes in many hues. Here are just some must-view sites – don't forget to pack your camera

David South / Alamy Stock Photo

From historic monuments to mighty superstructures, ancient cities to modern megalopolises, we explore Saudi’s must-see architecture

world

Oldest monument in the world

Largest coffee shop in world

Most expensive building in the world

Tallest building in the world

Largest mosque in the world

Al Masaa Café

1,050 seats

Great Mosque of Makkah

356,800 sq metres

Abraj Al Bait

$15 billion

Mustatil Stone Monuments

approx 7,000 years old

Jeddah Tower

1,000 m high (under construction)

Saudi’s record-breaking buildings

hen it comes to architecture, there are few places so diverse as Saudi, with stunning structures scattered across distinct cities and varied terrain. From ancient rock carvings to state-of-the-art sustainable cities, 'marble' hilltop villages to record-breaking skyscrapers, these marvels span millennia, myriad styles and plot a fascinating journey from the prehistoric past to our lives in the future. Here’s our round-up of must-see historical and architectural sights across Saudi and what you’ll discover there…

Top architectural works by Dana AlAmri

MFB Villa, Riyadh

Geometry rules the design of this three-bedroom villa, constructed for a mother and daughter duo (the latter works in the art world). An organic interplay of light, open space and marble floors creates an airy feel, whilst the wood lattice and soft drapes add a touch of warmth. A sleek outdoor pool completes the design.

King Khalid Road Development, Riyadh

As part of the Saudi Green Initiative, AlAmri designed this eco-street for King Khalid Road, one of the capital’s main thoroughfares. The idea is to create future living solutions that benefit both local people and the environment. You can see this forward-thinking approach echoed in the spaceship-style rooftops and curved glass windows.

Travertine House, Jeddah

Functionality sits at the core of this ultra-modern house in Jeddah’s Al Khalidiyyah district. The floor plan was carefully crafted to enable the occupants to move logically through the space. Striking clean lines dominate the design, whilst the combination of glass, stone and wood create an indoor/outdoor feel that suits the Saudi climate.

AlBalad Boutique Hotel, Jeddah

Islamic style melds with contemporary style in this heritage hotel, designed for the historical AlBalad neighbourhood of Jeddah. The intricate carved wooden ceiling and sandstone walls hint at the area’s storied past, while the plump window seat offers a cosy perch for gazing down on modern life outside.

Span the centuries in Riyadh

Glittering skyscrapers sit alongside centuries-old palaces in Saudi’s capital, making it a great starting point for first-time visitors. Step back in time at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia. Behind the modernist limestone edifice, you’ll dive deep into the nation’s past (don’t miss the ancient rock carvings featuring a human handprint) as well as the origins of Islam. Afterwards, pop into the Al Murabba Palace next door, former home of King Abdul Aziz, founder of modern Saudi. Listen to recordings of the king’s speeches and look out for a Rolls Royce that was gifted by Winston Churchill in 1946. Just five minutes away by taxi, you’ll find the Al Masmak Fort, a classic example of traditional Najdi architecture in the old quarter. Made from clay and mud-bricks, this former prison offers a one-of-a-kind insight into the country’s storied past. Then, make your way to the commercial quarter to marvel at the mind-boggling architecture of the future, notably the 303m-high Kingdom Center. Inside, an elevator will whisk you to the top-floor Sky Bridge, which boasts a dazzling view over the city. Feeling flush? Book a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel just below and soak up the panorama from your own private suite. Top off your tour at the Al Faisaliah Tower, a 44-storey spire designed by Norman Foster’s architecture firm, Foster + Partners. For an unforgettable meal, dine at the Globe restaurant, housed inside the distinctive golden orb suspended near the pinnacle.

Dhee Ayn – known as the Marble Village – dates back to the 8th century

The prehistoric petroglyphs and carvings at Hail make for ancient art tour

The Nabataean site of Hegra boasts 110 dramatic tombs carved into rock

Explore the cities of the future

Beyond the prehistoric monuments and 18th-century ruins, there’s a futuristic side to Saudi. Forward-thinking towns are springing up across the country, such as The Line, a proposed 106-mile long linear city with no cars, no streets and zero net carbon emissions. It will consist of three tiers with a leafy pedestrianised ground level, underpinned by a service and utility layer where vehicles and delivery trains move seamlessly underground, powered by AI. While this ultra-modern metropolis is still in the planning stages, you can actually visit the newest luxury city in the country, the King Abdullah Economic City, just 100km north of Jeddah. It was designed by American architect Marshall Strabala. Palm tree fringed Yam Beach butts up against glass-fronted Bay La Sun hotel and marina, while nearby, the internationally-acclaimed Royal Greens Golf & Country Club is primed for keen golfing fans. Meanwhile, due east on the Persian Gulf, the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) embodies the epitome of modern Saudi design. Outside, the stainless steel tubes create an appearance of gigantic grey pebbles leaning against one another, while inside is a world-class STEM centre featuring a library, children’s museum, performing arts theatre, cinema and exhibition hall – best seen via a guided tour.

KAEC is a new planned city with a mega sea port and sustainable residential communities

King Abdullah Economic City has state-of-the-art infrastructure

AlUla has a huge number of millennia-old rock art and inscriptions

The must-see Ithra cultural centre hosts a museum, cinema, theatre and library

Insta-tastic hikes

Nowhere offers such vastly contrasting scenery as Saudi Arabia, where you can be hiking through blazing desert one day and trekking up snowy mountains the next. Walking the AlUla mountain trail past volcanic rocks covered with carvings from the Lihyanite and Dadanite eras feels like stepping through ancient history, while a night-time trek along AlUla’s Hidden Valley allows you to glimpse starlight through the desert canyons. In the mountainous, southwest Asir region, take the 15km trail to the peak of Jabal Al Soudah and you’ll be rewarded with bird’s eye views of green juniper forests. For the most Insta-worthy sunsets, hike to the top of Moon Mountain, north of Jeddah, where you’ll also see exotic rock formations created over millions of years. Only 45 minutes from Riyadh, you can follow the twisty, steep 1km-long Caravan Trail (Aba AlQid) to a plateau where you can soak up views of Tuwaiq Mountain. Hiking the zig-zagging ancient Camel Trail in the Alhada Mountains, you’ll spot baboons and beautiful rose fields, a stark contrast to the barren landscape of the vast, jagged lava field of Harrat Khaybar, where two white ash volcanoes and an eerie black one, known as the Black Widow, can be explored on foot.

Span the centuries in Riyadh

Travel back in time in AlUla

Millennia-old mausoleums and towering rocky outcrops make the UNESCO-listed AlUla a must-visit for history buffs. Dating back 200,000 years, it’s one of the oldest regions in the Arabian Peninsula. Start at Hegra, known as “the other Petra”, home to 2,000-year-old Nabataean tombs, carved into the cliff faces. From here, seek out Elephant Rock; marvel at the 50m high sandstone monolith as it rises out of the desert floor, best seen at sunset. AlUla also boasts a huge concentration of rock art and carved inscriptions, left thousands of years ago by travellers, pilgrims and residents alike. These timeless traces of the cultures that visited and settled here make for an incredible outdoor art tour and a fascinating journey into the past. (For a contemporary perspective, don’t miss the AlUla Arts Festival. Held every spring, it boasts a jam-packed schedule of outdoor art exhibitions, film screenings and theatre productions, featuring female artists such as Claudia Comte and Shadia Alem.) Continue your architectural adventure by heading east to Jubbat Hail, a former caravan route through the Nefud Desert, known for its Mesolithic-era rock carvings. It gives a remarkable insight into human history over 5,000 years ago; spot men wearing headdresses, monkeys, gazelles and a two-wheeled cart. If you’ve got time, visit the off-the-beaten-track Dhee Ayn Ancient Village, just south of Jeddah. Gleaming stone buildings cling to a white marble hillside, dotted with banana palms and lemon trees. Stroll past abandoned houses – some dating back to the 8th Century – before stopping at the eye-shaped Ain Gardens.

This contemporary construction boasts a groundbreaking research laboratory, a huge collection of Arabic art and literature, as well as a performing arts theatre, cinema and children’s museum.

King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra), Dhahran

Tayebat Museum, Jeddah

Scitech Technology Center, Khobar

Who said art needs to be created on canvas? Opening in 2022, Diriyah promises to be Saudi Arabia’s first digital arts centre and the first educational centre of its kind in the world. Join a workshop on creative computing, visit the state-of-the-art library or browse the kaleidoscopic art shop.

Diriyah Art Futures, Riyadh

The majestic sandstone formations of Tabuk make for even more dramatic sights and shapes as you gaze at the sparkling skies. Head to Wadi Al Disah in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve – a beautiful, untouched valley boasting crystalline streams, flowing springs, and lush palm trees.

Tabuk

Take a culture trip around Saudi

David South / Alamy Stock Photo

Arabian shining sunbird

Crab plovers

Arabian spotted eagle-owl

Falcons

From its diverse terrain to its thriving art and music scene, Insta-worthy food and natural wonders to travel for, Saudi is ready and waiting for you to discover. For more incredible, off-the-beaten track ideas for sites to see, experiences to try, and places to stay, check out Visit Saudi

PARTNER CONTENT

Take the high-speed lift to the 99th floor to experience spectacular views from the Sky Bridge

Explore centuries of history, culture and art at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia

Dhee Ayn – known as the Marble Village – dates back to the 8th century

Scenic, sustainably-designed King Abdullah Economic City makes for an idyllic family break

Riyadh’s Al Murabba Palace is a monument to Saudi’s captivating past

The Kingdom Centre boasts 300m high views of Riyadh

Dhee Ayn – known as the Marble Village – dates back to the 8th century

Scenic, sustainably-designed King Abdullah Economic City makes for an idyllic family break

Architecture and Design

Why the landscape of AlUl teaches humility to even the starriest architects and designers

The embrace of time

Artists, craftspeople and explorers of all kinds are again finding inspiration in AlUla – including a female astronaut from the 25th century

The voyagers

ARTS AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

The perfect destination for nature and wildlife lovers seeking unique experiences

Find an unexpected dreamland of scenic beauty in Saudi

Our guide on how to catch the best of Saudi’s artistic offerings on your next visit

Discover how Saudi became the cultural powerhouse of the Middle East

The varied topography of Saudi is as surprising as it is spectacular. For those with an adventurous spirit, there is no more enticing destination

Extraordinary adventures in Saudi

Click to explore