Historic Site · Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
Diriyah
Diriyah is a town and governorate in Saudi Arabia.
Photo: Petrovic-Njegos at English Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Diriyah, Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Area | Area: 0.29 km² |
| Coordinates | 24.7333° N, 46.5756° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Diriyah is known for
Diriyah is a town and governorate in Saudi Arabia.
About Diriyah
Diriyah 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 House of Saud, 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 Riyadh Province. At-Turaif District, the first capital of Saudis in Diriyah, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.
History
Although the location is sometimes identified with an ancient settlement mentioned by Yaqut and Al-Hamadani known as "Ghabra", the history of Diriyah proper dates back to the 15th century. According to the chroniclers of Nejd, the city was founded in 1446–47 by Mani' Al-Muraydi, an ancestor of the Saudi royal family. Mani and his clan had come from the area of Al-Qatif in eastern Arabia, upon the invitation of Ibn Dir', who was then the ruler of a group of settlements that now make up Riyadh. Ibn Dir' is said to have been a relative of Mani' Al-Mraydi, and Mani's clan is believed to have left the area of Wadi Hanifa at some unknown date and were merely returning to their country of origin.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Diriyah website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Diriyah |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | King Khaled International Airport (RUH) |
| Distance from the airport | 17.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- King Khalid International Airport (RUH) · Riyadh, Saudi Arabia · 17.3 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Saudi Arabia
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Diriyah?
Diriyah is a town and governorate in Saudi Arabia.
Where is Diriyah located?
Diriyah is in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Its coordinates are 24.7333° N, 46.5756° E.
How do I get to Diriyah?
The nearest town is Diriyah, and the nearest airport is King Khaled International Airport (RUH), about 17.5 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Diriyah?
Although the location is sometimes identified with an ancient settlement mentioned by Yaqut and Al-Hamadani known as "Ghabra", the history of Diriyah proper dates back to the 15th century. According to the chroniclers of Nejd, the city was founded in 1446–47 by Mani' Al-Muraydi, an ancestor of the Saudi royal family.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diriyah — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q277505 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.diriyah.sa — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.