The Diriyah Gate Project

The Diriyah Gate Project is a cultural heritage tourism project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, aimed at transforming ad-Dir'iyyah, the capital of the First Saudi State, into a local and global tourism, historical, and cultural destination. It highlights the heritage, legacy, and history that represent the Kingdom. The project is located in ad-Dir'iyyah Governorate, affiliated with Riyadh Province, with an estimated budget of SAR64 billion.

The project includes a fully integrated mud city with natural views, offering housing, entertainment, and education, as well as museums, and cultural and art centers. Additionally, it features commercial markets, international restaurants and cafés, and venues for celebrations.

The Diriyah Gate includes historical walkways designed in a traditional style and natural landscapes stretching about three km, overlooking Wadi Hanifah. It features gathering spaces equipped with all necessary service and entertainment facilities, extending to five squares, and tourist pathways that connect various areas of ad-Dir'iyyah. The project also involves rehabilitating and enhancing the palm farms and orchards in the area, along with restoring two km² of Wadi Hanifah.

The Diriyah Gate Project works on rehabilitating historical sites in ad-Dir'iyyah and equipping them with educational academies, offices, institutes, and cultural museums that tell the history and stories of this heritage to all residents of the province and its visitors.

The Diriyah Gate Project gives rise to several initiatives, including the Diriyah Square Project, which features retail outlets and provides hospitality and entertainment services. It includes over four hundred global brands, in addition to one hundred stores with a Saudi theme, spanning more than 180,000 m². The square serves as a key pillar of the project.

Another project is the Historical Turaif District, which was inaugurated in late 2022. Visitors are allowed to explore the historic district, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, throughout the year. Saudi guides are available to provide all the information that visitors may need. The site contains numerous historical artifacts and discoveries that highlight aspects of the early history and development of the Saudi state. In addition, it offers a seasonal program of events and educational activities.

The project also includes the Bujairi Terrace, which opened in 2022, featuring a selection of Saudi cuisine and international dishes with views of the historic Turaif District. It boasts over twenty restaurants and cafés, including four Michelin-starred establishments—Chez Bruno, Hakkasan, and Long Chim—along with several Saudi brands.

Additionally, Wadi Safar stands as one of the prominent cultural landmarks in historic ad-Dir'iyyah, spanning sixty km² of sand dunes. The area has been developed to include commercial, entertainment, agricultural residential lands, and hotels.

The authority has prepared parking facilities with a total area of approximately one million m². These facilities feature a network of streets and tunnels located directly beneath ad-Dir'iyyah Square, with multiple entrances and exits, accommodating up to 10,500 vehicles.

Diriyah Gate offers a variety of residential options, including hotels, retreats, resorts, villas, and apartments, all designed to reflect the Kingdom's heritage with traditional styles. These residences are built according to international and local sustainable standards that align with twenty-first-century designs and lifestyles. The residential areas are located amidst historical landmarks, heritage sites, and palm groves.

The project aims to connect the past with the present by integrating history and culture into modern times, promoting an active lifestyle in the area, where most movement is centered around walking.

In 2017, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, issued a Royal Order establishing the Diriyah Gate Development Authority and forming its Board of Directors, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. The authority aims to preserve the historical and architectural heritage of ad-Dir'iyyah and serves as the regulatory and supervisory body for the area, which spans 194 km.

Diriyah Company, one of the megaprojects under the Public Investment Fund, was established in 2022 to develop the Diriyah Project, which spans fourteen km². The goal is to make ad-Dir'iyyah a global destination that reflects authentic Saudi heritage, offering visitors the chance to learn about the Kingdom's history up close. Diriyah Company contributes to transforming ad-Dir'iyyah into one of the world's significant heritage, cultural, and entertainment destinations. As the executive body for the Diriyah Project, the company oversees the development of educational, cultural, and artistic institutions, along with a range of international hotels and resorts, global and local shopping outlets, and renowned restaurants and cafés.

The Diriyah Gate Project has achieved fifty million work hours without injuries, with a daily workforce exceeding twenty thousand workers. The international certification body TUV Austria has confirmed that Diriyah Company's health and safety management system complies with the ISO 45001 standards.

Diriyah Company received the LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the first phase of ad-Dir'iyyah master plan. This is the first certification of its kind awarded by the USGBC to a project in the Middle East.

The company planted more than six million trees and plants to enhance vegetation and expand green spaces. Ad-Dir'iyyah has also hosted numerous international sporting events and global occasions, such as Formula E,  the Tennis Championship, the Boxing Championship, the Equestrian Show Jumping Championship, the World Travel and Tourism Council Summit, and World Tourism Day.