Arabian "Garden" – Riyadh

Arabian "Garden" – Riyadh

Riyadh, meaning “garden” in Arabic, is where the House of Saud emerged. It has later become the capital of the kingdom, witnessing Saudi Arabia’s contemporary development.  Riyadh was regarded as merely a halfway point in the desert for businessmen. The so-called “defensive wall” was just a mud-brick wall. However, Riyadh has been increasingly developed after being established as the capital. Since the House of Saud began the urbanisation in the 1950s taking reference from American cities, urban planning has resulted in the development of, commercial and residential areas as well as systematic and orderly transportation networks. Since the past decade, Riyadh has performed wonders and turned itself from a desert to an affluent city thanks to oil production. It is now transformed into an oasis metropolis with many surrealist buildings. 

Islamic law is strictly enforced in Saudi Arabia. However, as the kingdom pushes forward the “Saudi Vision 2030” - a blueprint to help Saudi Arabia strike a balance between religious rules and modernisation to gradually catch up with the world. As the capital, Riyadh is undergoing great reform and becoming more and more open to the outside world.

If you have seen the skyline of Riyadh, you must have got much of an impression of the “huge bottle opener” - Kingdom Centre. The Kingdom Centre is a 302.3m skyscraper in Riyadh. It has been hailed as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Modern Architectural World”, given its unique design of an inverted arch at the top.

Designed by the US-based Ellerbe Becket, the Kingdom Centre has become the landmark of Riyadh after its completion in 2002.The Kingdom Centre comprises of a shopping mall, a five-star hotel, a convention venue, offices and luxury apartments. Topping the tower is a 56m-long footbridge that houses the observation deck overlooking the whole Riyadh. Like all the other public premises, gender segregation is also applicable to the Kingdom Centre under Islamic law. Therefore, there are “family area” and “men-only area”.

There are a variety of worth-visiting places in Riyadh. By visiting the Masmak Fort, you can see the history of the House of Saud. You can also admire the modern architecture such as the Kingdom Centre. Remember to go to the Red Sand for nice weekend relaxation.