Diriyah
Diriyah (Arabic: الدِرْعِيّة, ad-Dir‘īyah, approximate meaning ‘place of armor’ ), formerly romanized as Dereyeh and Dariyya, is a town and governorate in Saudi Arabia located on the northwestern 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 1727 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.
| Diriyah | |
|---|---|
Wordmark | |
Salwa Palace of At-Turaif District | |
Location within Saudi Arabia | |
| General information | |
| Town or city | Riyadh Province |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Coordinates | 24°44′00″N 46°34′32″E |
| Website | |
| Official Website | |
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Official name | At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv, v, vi |
| Designated | 2010 (34th session) |
| Reference no. | 1329 |
| Region | the Arab States |
The Turaif district, the first capital of Saudis in Diriyah, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. The layout of the city itself can be easily studied in the National Museum of Saudi Arabia with the help of a large-scale detailed model of the city on display there. Diriyah also hosts the Diriyah ePrix race for the Formula E championship.