Diriyah
| At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah | |
|---|---|
| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
 Saad ibn Saud Palace. |
|
| Location | Saudi Arabia |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv, v, vi |
| Reference | 1329 |
| UNESCO region | Arab States |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2010 (34th Session) |
Diriyah (Arabic: الدرعية), formerly romanized as Dereyeh and Dariyya, is a town in Saudi Arabia located on the north-western outskirts of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Diriyah was the original home of the Saudi royal family, and served as the capital of the Emirate of Diriyah under the first Saudi dynasty from 1744 to 1818. Today, the town is the seat of the Diriyah Governorate, which also includes the villages of Uyayna, Jubayla, and Al-Ammariyyah, among others, and is part of Ar Riyad Province.
The Turaif district, the first capital of Saudis,in Diriyah was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.
The ruins of the old city of Diriyah lay on either side of the narrow valley known as Wadi Hanifa, which continues southwards through Riyadh and beyond. Consisting almost entirely of mud-brick structures, the ruins are divided into three districts, Ghussaibah, Al-Mulaybeed, and Turaif, set on top of hills overlooking the valley. Of the three, Turaif is the highest, and its bottom is easily accessible to tourists by foot. Part of the city wall, running along the edges of the wadi and also made of mud-bricks, are still extant along with some short observation towers.
The modern city is built at a lower altitude at the foot of the hill upon which Turaif is located. To the north of the town, inside the valley, are a number of gardens, palm groves, and small farms and estates. A dam known as Al-Ilb lies further north.
During the Islamic Prophet Muhammad's era the Expedition of Muhammad ibn Maslamah took place here in July, 627AD in Muharram, 6AH.
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