Al Murabba
{{Distinguish|New Murabba}}
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Al-Murabba
| official_name =
| settlement_type = Neighbourhood
| image_skyline = National Museum Riyadh (6781666263).jpg
| caption = The National Museum of Saudi Arabia, 2012
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Saudi Arabia}}
| subdivision_type2 = City
| subdivision_name2 = Riyadh
| native_name = المربع
| founder =
| p1 =
| governing_body = Al Malaz Sub-Municipality
| subdivision_type1 =
| subdivision_name1 =
| demographics_type1 = Language
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = Arabic
| coordinates = {{Coord|24|38|46|N|46|42|36|E|type:city_region:SA|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map =
| native_name_lang = ar
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| module = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom= 13 |height=300 |width= | stroke-width=1 |coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}}
| area_total_km2 = 4.88
}}
Al-Murabba ({{Langx|ar|المربع|lit=the square|translit=al-murabbaʿ}}) is a historic neighborhood in central Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,{{Cite web |date=2015-04-19 |script-title=ar:الإدارة العامة للنظافة |url=http://clean.alriyadh.gov.sa/Pages/Cleaning_Project.aspx |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=clean.alriyadh.gov.sa |archive-date=2015-04-19 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150419133422/http://clean.alriyadh.gov.sa/Pages/Cleaning_Project.aspx |url-status=dead }} located west of al-Wazarat and north of al-Futah in the sub-municipality of al-Malaz. Its name reportedly comes from a broken square-shaped dry well around which the Murabba Palace was built and from where latter's name gets derived as well.{{Cite web |script-title=ar:بالفيديو.. العساف: "بئر معطلة" وراء تسمية حي المربع بهذا الاسم |url=https://slaati.com//2021/03/23/p1826214.html |access-date=2022-09-04 |script-website=ar:صحيفة صدى الالكترونية}}{{Cite web |script-title=ar:ليست نسبة للقصر.. تعرف على أصل تسمية حي المربع في الرياض |url=https://garbnews.net/news/s/https%3A%2F%2Fgarbnews.net%3A443%2Fnews%2Fs%2F186974 |access-date=2022-09-04 |script-website=ar:غرب الإخبــارية |language=ar-sa}} It is situated in close proximity to the al-Batʼha commercial area and the Qasr al-Hukm District. Al-Murabba has lent its name to the New Murabba project, a planned downtown and real estate development in northwestern Riyadh. The neighborhood hosts a large presence of overseas Egyptian community.{{Cite web |author=عبد الله محمد |date=2006-09-24 |script-title=ar:الهنود حول المطاعم |url=https://www.alyaum.com/articles/425448/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%85 |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=alyaum |language=Arabic}}
History
After the unification of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz ordered building of palaces outside the former city walls of Old Riyadh, marking one of the preludes for the subsequent expansions of Riyadh.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-15 |script-title=ar:حي المربع .. مَهَّدَ من خارج السور القديم نهضة الرياض الحديثة |url=https://www.al-madina.com/article/727736/محليات/حي-المربع-مهد-من-خارج-السور-القديم-نهضة-الرياض-الحديثة |access-date=2022-09-04 |script-website=ar:جريدة المدينة |language=ar}}{{Cite web |date=23 March 2007 |script-title=ar:"حي المربع" الانطلاقة والازدهار لباقي أجزاء العاصمة بدأت من هنا |url=https://www.alriyadh.com/235279 |access-date=5 September 2022 |website=www.alriyadh.com |language=ar}} One of the places he chose was in the Murabba neighborhood in 1937 to build the Murabba Palace. According to Saudi historian Mansour al-Assaf, there was a square-shaped dry well in the neighborhood, from which the area derives its name 'al-Murabba' (lit. the square). In 1969, the Riyadh Water Tower was inaugurated in the neighborhood.{{Cite web |script-title=ar:كازينو الرياض - م. بدر بن ناصر الحمدان |url=https://www.al-jazirah.com/2020/20201214/ln17.htm |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=www.al-jazirah.com |archive-date=2024-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910154614/https://www.al-jazirah.com/2020/20201214/ln17.htm |url-status=live }} In 1999, the King Abdulaziz Historical Center which contained the Abdulaziz's former Murabba Palace and the National Museum was inaugurated by King Fahd to commemorate the 100th anniversary (in terms of Hijri calendar) of Abdulaziz's capturing of Riyadh in 1902.{{Cite web |script-title=ar:المتحف الوطني في الرياض.. بوابة جزيرة العرب إلى التاريخ, |url=https://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?issueno=10261&article=428826#.YxWMWnZBzIU |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=archive.aawsat.com |archive-date=2024-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910154532/https://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?issueno=10261&article=428826#.YxWMWnZBzIU |url-status=live }}
Legacy
In February 2023, crown prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a new downtown project in northwest of Riyadh, known as the New Murabba, named after the neighborhood. He also unveiled the project of Mukaab, a {{convert|400|meters|adj=on}} cuboidal skyscraper located in the New Murabba and is modeled after the cuboidal layout of the Murabba Palace.{{Cite web |date=18 February 2023 |script-title=ar:من المربع القديم للجديد.. الـ"داون تاون" الأحدث عالمياً |url=https://www.alriyadh.com/1998127 |access-date=31 March 2023 |website=www.alriyadh.com |language=ar |archive-date=31 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331150235/https://www.alriyadh.com/1998127 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |script-title=ar:«المربع» بين زمنين في تاريخ العاصمة السعودية |url=https://aawsat.com/home/article/4168446/%C2%AB%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%B9%C2%BB-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%B2%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9 |access-date=2023-03-31 |script-website=ar:الشرق الأوسط |language=ar |archive-date=2023-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407160153/https://aawsat.com/home/article/4168446/%C2%AB%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%B9%C2%BB-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%B2%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=العبوش |first=قحطان |script-title=ar:السعودية.. قصر المربع الطيني القديم يكتسب شهرة عالمية عبر مشروع جديد |url=https://www.eremnews.com/entertainment/yovjfrdjgq |access-date=2023-03-31 |script-website=ar:إرم نيوز |language=ar |archive-date=2023-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331150435/https://www.eremnews.com/entertainment/yovjfrdjgq |url-status=live }}
Gallery
File:Al Murabba, Riyadh Saudi Arabia - panoramio.jpg|A walkway along the road crossing the historical center
File:Palm Oasis Murabba Riyadh.jpg|The One Hundred Palm Trees Park in Al Murabba
File:1قصر المربع.jpg|Inside Al Murabba Fort
File:قصر المربع.jpg|The Murabba Fort building
File:Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace, 2023.jpg|Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace, 2023
See also
References
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