Murabba Palace

Al Murabba was built in 1937 and 1938 as the residence of King Abdulaziz, the first substantial construction outside the walls of old Riyadh, a square of mud brick around a courtyard on two storeys with wooden columns, triangular window openings and the traditional Najdi stepped parapets. It housed the king's family, offices and reception halls until his death in 1953. The building has been restored and opened as a museum, furnished in part and showing the king's rooms, his car, and material on the period. It stands within the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre, which also holds the National Museum, a library and gardens, on the northern edge of the old town.

What you actually see

• The mud-brick palace - the two-storey Najdi building around its courtyard.
• The furnished rooms - the reception halls and the king's quarters.
• Najdi detailing - the triangular openings and stepped parapets.
• The historical centre - the museum complex and gardens around it.

When to go

November to March; Riyadh summers are severe. The palace keeps daytime hours with a midday break and closes on some days. It combines with the National Museum in the same complex.

Honest expectations

Much of the fabric is restoration rather than original. Interpretation is mainly in Arabic with limited English. Opening hours have a midday closure and vary. The complex is large and involves walking in the sun between buildings.

Nearby

The National Museum is in the same complex; Masmak lies south.