Riyadh Sights and Landmarks Guide, Saudi Arabia

Riyadh offers a good number of sights to visit ranging from man-made wonders, historical sites and natural scenery. Owing to its history and diverse culture, this big city is permeated and is home to different museums, libraries, towers and skyscrapers.

One of the famed natural wonder is the Riyadh National Zoo. It is home to a number of different species of animals including Tapirs, seals, kangaroos, llamas, the rare griffon vultures along with Arabian leopards, lions, and hyenas. Right in the middle of the zoo itself, the Zoological garden stands for the people to stroll upon and watch the animals as well as the different plant species. A preserved historical site in Riyadh is the Al-Masmak Castle. This was built in 1865 by the famed Al Rashid clan led by Mohammed ibn Abdullah ibn Rasheed. The rival Al Saud clan recaptured it in 1902, with the leadership of Ibn Saud who started the building of modern Saudi. As of date, it is the central symbol of heroism that resonates over the whole country.

The more prominent sights in Riyadh are mostly modern designs of man. The first significant sight is the Kingdom Center or the Burj Al Mamlakah. This is the tallest skyscraper the whole kingdom built over an area of  94,230 square meters of land and the whole center covers a total area of 300,000 square meters. The highest mosque in the world is also housed in the center. It won the 2002 Emporis Skyscraper Award, selected as the 'best new skyscraper of the year for design and functionality'. Another tower is the Burj Al Faisaliyah. It was the first skyscraper built in Saudi Arabia and second tallest next to its sister tower the Kingdom Center. The most famous recreational center is the Al-Jazeera Women's Shopping and Recreational Center. In this building, the recreational center on the first floor is home to about 80 different games for both adult and kids. The rest of the building is the shopping center where various shops ranging from expensive to elite can be found. Finally, the King Abdul Aziz Military Museum that is built in connection with the Ministry of Defense and Aviation is the concrete proof to the development of the Saudi military forces.

There are still other places in Riyadh that are worth the visit. However, one needs to be there to appreciate the wondrous sights and scenery of the city. It takes experiencing it first hand to appreciate the true beauty of the Arabian Peninsula.

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