Arabian City Phenomenon: Riadh

Abstract

The article follows the main stages in the development of Riyadh — the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The history of Riyadh is viewed in the context of the history of traditional Arabian cities and the new urban centers of Arabia. The great role of the creator of Saudi Arabia, King Ibn Saud and his sons in the development of the capital is indicated; in particular, the innovations of the current King of Saudi Arabia Salman ibn Abdel Aziz, who was the governor of Riyadh for about half a century. It was under Abdel Aziz that a large-scale reconstruction of the city began, as a result of which the city acquired its modern features. In addition, the article describes the layout of the city, shows its functions as the capital’s political, financial, economic and cultural center of the kingdom. Particular attention is paid to the modern architecture of the city, represented by the tower of the Radio Center, the water tower, the Faisalia towers and the “Center of the Kingdom (Burj al-Mamlaka)”. The author concludes that the city justifies its name, which in Arabic means “gardens”, differing from other cities by the presence of squares and parks with green lawns, greenery, and date palms.