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One of the wealthiest cities in the world, Riyadh is a showcase for modern Saudi Arabia. Once a walled, mud-brick way station along desert trading routes, the capital is now a hyper-contemporary metropolis with the best hotels and restaurants in the country. Its organized grid layout is lined with more than 4,000 mosques, numerous busy shopping centers and traditional souks, public recreational spaces, and compartmentalized communities and neighborhoods. Visitor highlights here include Masmak Fort, Souq al Zel, the Kingdom Center tower, and cultural centers such as the King Abd al-Aziz Historical Center, the National Museum, and the National Library. Minutes outside Riyadh is Ad Diriyah, the birthplace of the first Saudi state called At-Turaif which ruled between 1744 and 1818. The UNESCO World Heritage site has been restored to its former glory and is poised to become a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s tourism offerings. Arguably the standout attraction, however, is the breathtaking "Edge of the World" rock formation, just a short drive from the capital.
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