SAUDI ARABIA-BEJERI DISTRICT Bejeri district of historic Saudi town of Diriyah renovated

Record ID: 143613

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA-BEJERI DISTRICT Bejeri district of historic Saudi town of Diriyah renovated
  • Date: 17th August 2015
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (AUGUST 13, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BEJERI NEIGHBOURHOOD OVERLOOKING DIRIYAH TOWN VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING AT BEJERI MARKET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARRIYADH (ADA), ABDULLAH AL-RUKBAN, SAYING: "Al-Diriyah was the first capital of the first Saudi state that was formed in 1744 and it con
  • Embargoed: 1st September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6A7SKZKVLWDM56GWWMELSML42
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Development work continues to return the historic Saudi town of Diriyah, around 20 kilometres northwest of Riyadh, back to its original sate.
    Once the capital of the first Saudi state in the 18th century, Diriyah has undergone extensive works over the past decade to attract visitors.
    Over the past few years, many of Diriyah's buildings, palaces and houses have been restored using traditional-style clay bricks made out of nothing more than soil, water and straw.
    The historic neighbourhood of Bejeri is the latest to have been transformed under a four-year extensive restoration project. From ruins, it has now become a popular retreat for residents and visitors.
    Saudi King Salman recently visited it and opened it to the public.
    Diriyah became the seat of power for the House of Saud in 1744, when Mohammed bin Saud forged an alliance there with religious leader Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, marking the foundation of the first Saudi State.
    But it was destroyed in 1818 when Egyptian-Ottoman forces invaded the Arabian Peninsula, laying siege to the town.
    The Director of the Urban Development Department at the high commission for the development of Arriyadh, engineer Abdullah al-Rukban, explained the significance of the historic town.
    "Al-Diriyah was the first capital of the first Saudi state that was formed in 1744 and it continued to be so until its downfall in 1818. The historic town of Diriyah also represents a significant national value because it was the capital of the first Saudi state and therefore it still has some of the attractions that date back to this period such as the Salwa Palace and Mosque of Imam Muhammad bin Saud as well as a number of other palaces," he said.
    Of particular historical significance is the district of al-Turaif, which comprises government buildings and several palaces built in a distinctive Najdi architectural style.
    "Al-Bejeri neighbourhood is where Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Wahhab and his family used to live, it also had the first university for science in the Najd region, this is what makes this area significance, and this is why it was taken care of. We established the Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Foundation here as well as a number of shops, parking garage, gardens, and a park which links the neighbourhood of Al Bejeri with Turaif," Rukban added.
    Abandoned for decades and largely in ruins, Bejeri is now starting to attract visitors such as Omar Al-Sudaias, who came with his family.
    "We came to visit Diriyah now that the restoration work has been completed, we came to see the gardens and I brought my family to enjoy this beautiful atmosphere, it is very hot in Riyadh now, but it is much cooler in here," he said.
    "Al-Bejeri is one of the huge historic neighbourhoods that represents the history of the kingdom. It was invested in the best way possible to become a tourist destination for visitors. During my tour in this wonderful place, I realised how much investment has been put in the historic sites to attract the people of the city, and possibly, other visitors from outside the city," said another visitor Sulyman al-Salem.
    The unique architectural style of the adjoining Turaif district has earned it a place on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
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