The Red Palace

The Red Palace is a historic palace and one of the cultural and civilizational landmarks in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was commissioned in 1943 by Saudi Arabia’s Founding King, Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, to serve as the residence of King Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud when he was Crown Prince, after his mud-brick palace adjacent to Al-Murabba Palace—known as the Crown Prince’s Palace—was burnt down. The palace was distinguished by its reddish color, from which it derived its name.

The Red Palace is located in the Al-Murabba District, one of the central neighborhoods of Riyadh, on Prince Abdullah Bin Jiluwi Bin Turki Street, about 900m from the historic Al-Murabba Palace. The palace is known as the first building in Riyadh to be constructed using cement and reinforced concrete.

The Red Palace gained its political importance throughout history, passing through multiple phases of use. It served as the residence of King Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud until 1956, when he moved to Al-Nasiriyah Palace, and during that time it hosted visitors to Saudi Arabia, including heads of state and rulers. It was later designated as a royal guesthouse, receiving numerous leaders, kings, and dignitaries. King Saud then ordered it to become the headquarters of the Council of Ministers, a role it continued to serve during the reigns of King Faisal, King Khalid, and King Fahd. After the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers moved to Al-Yamamah Palace in 1988, the palace became the headquarters of the Board of Grievances.

The Board of Grievances later moved out during the development of the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, when the Royal Commission for Riyadh City planned to transform the Red Palace into a museum for the city, as it stands as a witness to the historical and political stages Riyadh has gone through and as a site of significant national events and milestones.

In 2019, the Ministry of Culture organized the Red Palace Exhibition to promote the political and historical role of the Red Palace in Saudi Arabia. The exhibition consists of seven chapters distributed over fourteen rooms. In each room, there are artworks that display the palace's history, which represents a pivotal part of the history of Saudi Arabia.

In 2022, the Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, announced the launch of the Boutique Group, owned by the Public Investment Fund. This step aims to develop and operate historical and cultural palaces in Saudi Arabia and convert them into hotels. For instance, the Red Palace is set to contain seventy-one rooms, including forty-six luxury suites and twenty-five luxury guestrooms.