Saudi Arabia is accelerating construction at Diriyah, a sixty-three billion dollar giga-project on the outskirts of Riyadh designed to restore, preserve and project the Kingdom’s historical foundations while creating a global destination for culture, tourism and lifestyle living.

The development centres on At-Turaif, the UNESCO World Heritage site regarded as the birthplace of the Saudi state, and forms a core pillar of the country’s Vision Twenty Thirty strategy to diversify the economy beyond oil.

Diriyah is planned as a mixed-use city combining museums, heritage districts, luxury hotels, residential communities, retail spaces and entertainment venues, all built in the traditional Najdi architectural style to reinforce cultural continuity.

Saudi officials say the project is intended not only to attract millions of international visitors annually but also to embed national identity and historical awareness into everyday urban life.

Construction progress has accelerated across multiple zones, with infrastructure, hospitality and cultural assets advancing in parallel, supported by significant public investment and partnerships with global architects, designers and hospitality brands.

Once completed, Diriyah is expected to host major international events, create tens of thousands of jobs and contribute billions of dollars annually to the non-oil economy.

The project reflects a broader shift in Saudi development policy toward place-making rooted in heritage, positioning Diriyah as both a symbol of the Kingdom’s past and a cornerstone of its future economic and cultural ambitions.