Riyadh

King Fahd Road in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Riyadh


Riyadh is the capital and largest city in Saudi Arabia. Located on a large plateau in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, Riyadh has a population of 4.9 million people and a metropolitan population approaching 7 million people.

The history of Riyadh goes back to pre-Islamic times, when it was a settlement known as Hajr. It served as the capital of the province of Al Yamamah, but went through several centuries of stagnation. The name Riyadh was first mentioned in a 17th century document referencing an event in 1590.

The city of Riyadh was chosen by Turki ibn Abdallah as the capital of the Second Saudi State in 1823, but warfare among Turki's grandsons led to the collapse of the state in 1891. The city fell into the hands of the Al Rashid family. In 1902 it was recaptured by Abdulaziz ibn Saud. Abdulaziz ibn Saud established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 with Riyadh as its capital.

The city has experience rapid growth in the past decades. From a population of 150,000 in the 1960's, its population has swollen to 7 million by 2011.

Going to Riyadh

King Khaled Airport (RUH) is the gateway to Riyadh. The airport which opened in 1983 has aged somewhat. It is infamously boring, without any duty-free shops. It has three terminals: Terminal 1 for international airlines, Terminal 2 for international flights on Saudia and Terminal 3 for domestic flights. Among the international airlines flying to Riyadh includes Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines.

Sights in Riyadh

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