Arish of King Abdulaziz

The Arish of King Abdulaziz is one of the historical landmarks located in Al-Selmiyah Center in Al-Saih, in Al-Kharj Governorate, Riyadh Province, in the central region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was built in 1919 to receive the guests and visitors of the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud at the time.

The Arish of King Abdulaziz was established during the reign of the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud in 1919 at the farms of the endowments of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal Al Saud in Al-Selmiyah Center, north of Al-Saih City.

King Abdulaziz used the Arish as a council during his frequent visits to Al-Kharj Governorate, particularly in the summer, and he received his guests and visitors there from the people of Al-Selmiyah and Al-Kharj Governorate in general. This continued until a palace was built for King Abdulaziz in Al-Saih City in 1940.

The Arish of King Abdulaziz consists of a standing mud wall with roofing made from palm trunks and fronds, with a total area of about one hundred m².

The Arish of King Abdulaziz was renovated in 2011 as part of projects aimed at rehabilitating and preparing historical landmarks and sites in Saudi Arabia. The renovation included rebuilding the Arish’s mud wall, reconstructing the council using trunks and wood, restoring the gates and the well, and adding a seating area for visitors around the Arish, in addition to planting the entire site with greenery and creating pathways. The site has become a historical and tourist landmark in the region.

After the renovation, the Arish also included several investment services, such as places for selling light foods and beverages, souvenir shops, and car rentals. In 2019, the Arish was included among the tourist routes in Saudi Arabia.