Restoration and Rehabilitation Project of Urban Heritage Buildings in Downtown Riyadh

The Restoration and Rehabilitation Project of Urban Heritage Buildings in Downtown Riyadh is a project that aims to transform historical buildings in downtown Riyadh City, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, into a cultural, tourist, and economic resource by linking them to the memory of the place and using them effectively depending on their surrounding regions. It was announced on September 13, 2020.

The project is managed by the Heritage Commission, affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) and Riyadh Province Municipality. It stems from the keen interest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in heritage and its preservation, guided by the directives of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and under the supervision of the Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Heritage Commission, Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan Al Saud.

The mechanisms of the restoration and rehabilitation project of urban heritage buildings in downtown Riyadh follow international standards for preserving historic urban structures. It involves several phases, starting with the restoration of fifteen heritage palaces in al-Fouta and al-Dhahirah neighborhoods. This includes three palaces in eastern al-Fouta, seven in western al-Fouta, and five additional royal palaces. The Heritage Commission had previously enlisted these buildings in the National Urban Heritage Register, which is dedicated to recording, registering, classifying, and documenting urban heritage.

The project aims to preserve urban heritage buildings of architectural and historical significance, highlight local identity, and transform these buildings into economic, social, cultural, and tourism resources. It also aims to link them to Riyadh's architectural history.

The project's implementation commenced a few months after its announcement on September 13, 2020. Its operations began in early 2021, with the comprehensive restoration and rehabilitation of the buildings according to a timeline spanning twenty-four months from the project's inception.

The first scope of the restoration and rehabilitation project of urban heritage buildings in downtown Riyadh focuses on fifteen heritage palaces in al-Fouta and al-Dhahirah neighborhoods (three palaces east of al-Fouta and seven to its west), in addition to five royal palaces of high priority, with a tight deadline within the last three months of 2020.

The second scope of the project includes conducting a study on all significant urban heritage buildings in downtown Riyadh City, including their respective classifications, in addition to documenting the buildings' architecture and developing operational plans required for their preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation.

The restoration and rehabilitation project of urban heritage buildings in downtown Riyadh works to evoke the traditional architectural spirit of the old palaces, which were constructed in 1944 in Western al-Fouta, as well as the palaces in Eastern al-Fouta dating back to 1935. This also includes the six royal palaces exceeding seventy years old, which are: King Fahd Palace, King Abdullah Palace, Princess Haya Bint Abdulrahman Palace, King Sultan Palace, and Princess al-Anoud Palace located in al-Dhahirah, al-Fouta, and Umm Salim neighborhoods. King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) supports this project by researching and documenting the history of the architecture of these palaces.

On December 19, 2022, the second phase of the restoration and rehabilitation project of urban heritage buildings in downtown Riyadh launched to restore heritage buildings of historical and architectural value in downtown Riyadh City. This phase focused on fifteen heritage palaces, following the completion of studies and designs, preparation and management of the site, and the temporary shoring of the buildings.