Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. travel to riyadh richard city riad photos

Geographical position

Perhaps many have heard the name of the city of Riyadh, but they don’t know where it is located and the capital of which country it is. It turns out that this is the main city of the kingdom and the center of the administrative district of the same name.

Geographical position

Riyadh is located in Southwest Asia and occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula. The area of ​​the city is 1554 sq. km. It is located in the fertile valley of Wadi Hanifa, and the endless sands of the desert surround it. Perhaps that is why the name Riyadh means "Gardens" in Arabic.

If you want to find Riyadh on the map, then its geographical coordinates are: 24°39′00″ s. sh. 46°42′36″ E e. The capital of Saudi Arabia Riyadh can be seen in the photo below.

At the end of 2014, about 6.5 million people lived in Riyadh. Most of the inhabitants are Arabs, there are Afro-Asians and other nationalities. The main religion practiced by the inhabitants is Islam.

City `s history

In ancient times, tribes of Arab nomads lived on the territory of modern Riyadh. Until the 18th century, it was no different modest settlement. But with the increase in the Arab market for goods, as well as with the discovery of oil deposits in these places, the city began to gradually revive and grow.

In 1902, Riyadh was captured by the troops of Emir Abdulaziz ibn Saud. In 1927, the Arab emirs organized the states of Nejd and Hijaz. Later, as a result of the unification, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formed with the capital - the city of Riyadh. From that time to the present day, the country has been ruled by hereditary emirs from the Saudi family.

Climatic conditions of Riyadh

The desert tropical climate prevails in the city of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. This is one of the hottest places on the entire globe. The climate here is very dry: only about 100 mm of precipitation falls annually, which occurs in winter and early spring. In winter, the average temperature is +14.4°С, and in summer +36.6°С. The highest temperature here was +52°C, and the lowest was +1°C.

Riyadh - attractions and entertainment

In the main city of Saudi Arabia there is a university and a technical institute, a military academy and many others that many tourists will be interested in visiting:

1. in Riyadh (Burj Al Mamlaka) is an ultra-modern skyscraper made of metal and glass, which is visible from anywhere in the city. The building is a kind of symbol of the undeniable power of the royal dynasty, since the owner of this colossal building is the ruling family of Saudi Arabia. The top has the appearance of an inverted arch, over which a bridge passes. From here, stunning views of Riyadh and its environs open. The royal center houses offices and apartments, a hotel and a shopping center, as well as many first-class restaurants.


2. Abdul Aziz Historical Center located near the old town. Its complex includes the Murabba Palace - the former residence of the king - which now houses a museum. The palace is surrounded by a beautiful park, the shady cozy alleys of which beckon both the residents of the city and its guests to relax in the coolness. In addition, the center includes Al-Madi, made of red brick, and the two-tiered minaret looks like a medieval tower.


3. attract horse lovers. Purebred Arabian horses are known throughout the world for their beauty, grace and speed. Here, these elite animals receive careful care corresponding to their status. Horses from the royal stables participate in horse racing, which is considered a noble occupation among the Arab nobility.


4. - This is a landmark old building, which is a witness of ancient times. The fortress was designed in accordance with all the canons of fortification architecture and is a regular quadrangle of light walls with round towers at the corners. The windows are small, which was done to reduce the likelihood of shells hitting the building. Today there is a museum with exhibits illustrating the history of the city of Riyadh.


5. Al Faysala Tower located in the business center of Riyadh. The construction of this third tallest building in Saudi Arabia was completed in 2000. Its design is interesting: four curved beams connect at the top, and in this place there is a huge ball of glass. Inside is a chic restaurant that offers panoramic views of the entire city.


6. considered the most beautiful in the city. Amazing landscape design with flower carpets attracts both adults and children. Over the lake, located in the center of the park, colorful laser shows are organized in the evenings.


7. Active . One of the best activities for tourists in Riyadh is quad biking in the desert.
8. Night life. For travelers who prefer to have fun in the evening, the doors of bars, restaurants and discos are open in Riyadh, most of which are located on the territory of hotels and are intended only for tourists.

Hotels and restaurants

Not so long ago, Riyadh began to position itself as tourist town. Many establishments have appeared here, the best of which are considered to be the following:

Shopping in Riyadh

While in this exotic city, be sure to shop at the following shopping establishments in Riyadh:

1. - This is a huge store that you can visit with children, there is a playground for them. The mall offers products from many well-known brands.
2. Riyadh Gallery Mall– Families or only women can come to this shopping center. This is a great place not only for shopping, but also for relaxing.
3. Panorama Mall- there are many designer shops here, and in numerous cafes you can relax after.

Useful information for tourists

If, while staying in Saudi Arabia, tourists have any problems with the local authorities, then you need to contact the Russian Embassy located in Riyadh at the address: Saudi Arabia, P.O.Box 94308 Riyadh 11693 Russian Embassy, ​​Al-Wasiti str., Rahmania , bld. 13.

Riyadh Transport

The city has a developed transport infrastructure. Tourists usually arrive in the country by plane. International King Khaled is located 35 km from Riyadh. It accepts flights of German, British, Turkish and some other airlines. From the airport King Khaled it is easy to get to any part of Saudi Arabia. You can drive from the airport to the city in 30 minutes.

It is simply impossible to move around the city without a car, since there are no sidewalks here. Therefore, the best city in Riyadh is a taxi. Many tourists book a limousine at a hotel if such a service is available there. locals move around the city exclusively on private cars.

Riyadh is connected with other cities and highways. The bus from Jordan to Riyadh takes 24 hours. And the distance of 876 km between Riyadh and the bus will cover in about 8.5 hours.

Sometimes photographers amaze us with their art, the ability to uniquely reflect the world around us and make us look at it from a different angle. And sometimes they do something completely disgusting or so ordinary that it is impossible to understand why the work is recognized as a masterpiece. Somehow, these photographs were sold for millions of dollars.

(Total 10 photos)

Andreas Gursky is a well-known German photo artist, on his account there are many photographs that were subsequently sold for fabulous money. In 1999, he took the photo "Rhine II", which shows the Rhine River between two dams under a majestic overcast sky. In total, Gursky created six images of the Rhine, and "Rhine II" is the largest photograph in the series.

The most amazing thing about the photo is that it was made with the help of Photoshop: initially the background was “spoiled” by the power plant, port facilities and a passerby walking a dog - Gursky removed all this, leaving only the Rhine itself and the dams.

Gursky commented on his actions: "Ironically, this view of the Rhine could not be obtained locally, rework was necessary to provide an accurate image of the modern river."

After finishing, the photographer printed a photo of 185.4 × 363.5 cm in size, mounted it on acrylic glass and placed it in a frame. The picture was sold at Christie's in New York for $4,338,500 in 2011 by the Monika Spruit Gallery in Cologne, and the photograph was subsequently resold to an unknown collector.

American photo artist Cindy Sherman works in the technique of staged photographs. Her work is widely recognized in the art world, and she is ranked seventh on ArtReview's 100 Most Influential People in the Art World 2011. Sherman herself calls herself a performance artist and categorically refuses to recognize herself as a photographer.

One of her most famous and expensive works is photo #96, taken in 1981: the picture shows a girl, freckled, with red hair and in bright orange clothes, lying on her back and looking into the distance. According to Sherman, the photo carries a deep meaning - a teenage girl, both seductive and innocent, holds a piece of newspaper with dating ads in her hand, which means that the still fragile female essence is looking for a way to break out.

The photograph was purchased at a Christie's auction in 2011 by an unknown collector.

3. For Her Majesty, a collage of photographs (1973)

British artists Gilbert Prosh and George Passmore work in the genre of performance photography. World fame brought them work, where they acted as living sculptures.

Their collage of photographs, taken back in 1973, was sold for big money at an auction in 2008: black and white photographs depict men in expensive suits combined with interior items. The buyer is unknown.

4. Dead Warriors Speak (1992)

Canadian photographer Jeff Wall is best known for his large format photographs: calling card"artist" is a technique he developed for printing images on a transparent basis.

His most famous work, Dead Warriors Speak, was inspired by the war in Afghanistan. Despite the realism, this is a staged photograph: all the people in the picture are guest actors. When working on it, Wall used makeup and costumes, and the picture itself was taken in a photo studio and later processed on a computer.

The finished image, 229×417 cm in size, was printed on a transparent base and placed in a plastic box.

5. Untitled (Cowboy) (2001–2002)

Richard Prince is considered one of the most celebrated American artists of his generation. The main themes of his works are stylization of the period of the so-called "American antiquity" and modern world consumption. Three photographs brought him worldwide fame, including "Cowboy".

The photo was taken specifically for advertising campaign"Marlboro": the cowboy in the picture, according to the artist, appears not as a typical standard of American courage, sung in westerns, but as some kind of illusory sex symbol, the unattainable ideal of a real man.

The painting was sold in 2007 at Christie's auction.

The aforementioned "Rhine II" shot is not Gursky's only million-plus photograph: his two-photo "99 cents II" print was sold for less, but still earned the creator several million more dollars.

The photos show a supermarket displaying consumer goods. In general, the two shots are strikingly similar and differ only in angles. Of course, Gursky resorted to computer processing to remove unnecessary details from the pictures - customers, low-hanging lamps and wires.

The photo was acquired in 2007 by Ukrainian businessman Viktor Pinchuk. The high cost of the pictures is due, first of all, to the name of the author, who by the time of the sale had already gained great fame.

Another picture shows Gursky night landscape Los Angeles - the city from a bird's eye view looks like a field of distant artificial lights. Photography symbolizes the modern world and the place of man in it. As conceived by the artist, a person is the main character of this photo: everyone lives in a vast world of universal globalization, where they take the place of only one of the millions of the same inhabitants.

Impressionist artist Edward Steichen worked in the first half of the 20th century: he created a famous series of portraits of Hollywood celebrities, and later took up documentary filmmaking, for which he received several Oscars.

His most famous photograph is Lake in the Moonlight, an autochrome photograph: originally a black and white photograph, the Lake was given color by Steichen's use of light-sensitive jelly. Before him, no one had used such technology, so the picture can be considered the world's first color photograph.

In 2006, Lake in the Moonlight was sold at Sotheby's for a huge amount of money. The price can be considered reasonable - the picture is more than a century old, and it is an excellent preserved illustration of the history of photography.

Another example of Cindy Sherman's creativity is untitled photo #153. It depicts a dead, mud-stained woman with bluish-gray hair: glazed eyes staring at the sky, her mouth half open, and a bruise is visible on her cheek. The photo leaves behind an eerie feeling, but it was nevertheless sold at auction for a seven-figure sum.

Billy the Kid was an American criminal charged with the murder of 21 people. The governor of one of the states of the Wild West appointed a large reward for his capture, and Kid was killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett, who then wrote a biography of the thug.

The uniqueness of this photo is that it is the only image of Billy the Kid, there are no other photos. It was sold in 2011 at the 22nd annual Brian Lebel's Old West Show & Auction in Denver. Collector William Koch bought it for more than $2 million, although the organizers did not initially expect to receive more than $400,000 for the picture.

Authorship is attributed to Kid's friend Dan Dedrick, but it is no longer possible to determine exactly who took the picture. The photo was taken by ambrotype method, using metal plate, and the image is mirrored on it.

Before starting a trip to Saudi Arabia, we invite tourists to get to know Riyadh better: description, photos, where it is located, interesting sights, as well as listen to useful tips on staying in one of the attractive eastern capitals. The main city of Saudi Arabia and the administrative territory of Nejd is conveniently located almost in the center of the Arabian Peninsula - in the Wadi Hanifa valley.

soren2013/flickr.com

The fertile zone is surrounded by desert for many kilometers, which did not prevent the fortress city with clay buildings, narrow and closely built-up streets in literally half a century from turning into one of the most beautiful Middle Eastern capitals. The financial basis for this transformation was the huge oil deposits discovered in the depths of the country.

Story

According to studies, interest in the location of the capital of the Saudi state has been observed for 4 thousand years. The main reason lies in the availability of fertile land and water, which cannot be called familiar to the Arabian Peninsula. During the time of the Umayyad Caliphate, the territory was decorated with huge areas of gardens and many canals.

The city, then called Hajr, was repeatedly attacked and destroyed by the warring tribes of Tasms and Jadis. For protection, palaces and watchtowers were erected, of which today only ruins remain. Due to the complex and turbulent situation around the settlement, the regional center was moved, which led to the disintegration of Hajr into separate villages and a long decline.

With the new name of Riyadh, which is interpreted as "a place with many trees and gardens", the city was reborn. Mention of this appeared in the XVII century. The wall erected at that time marked the city boundaries, which have survived to this day in the form of remnants, according to which the historical center is determined.

Uwe Braun/flickr.com

In the 19th century Imam Turki ibn Abdal chose Riyadh as the capital of the Saudi state. Until the middle of the twentieth century. the usual urban picture was represented by narrow streets with buildings made of samam. After the discovery of oil reserves, the capital changed before our eyes not only in terms of architecture, but also in terms of the number of inhabitants, the number of which has already increased 43 times and is more than 6 million people.

Modernity

Today Riyadh of Saudi Arabia is a beautiful modern metropolis with rows of skyscrapers, hotels, shopping centers, new mosques, it is a political and administrative, commercial and financial center.

The pride of the inhabitants is considered to be not very long ago built higher educational institutions, which train specialists in various fields. Young people come to study even from neighboring countries. Among the universities are the State University, the Military Academy, the Islamic University, the Higher Technical Institute, etc.

soren2013/flickr.com

One fifth of all SA industrial enterprises is concentrated in the capital. Among industrial facilities oil refineries, food plants, cement production, etc.

The location of parks and squares was given Special attention, which once again allowed to confirm the correctness of the chosen name.

Climate and weather

Considering where and at what latitude Riyadh is located, one can predict a hot and fairly dry climate. The hottest days are in July, when the thermometer continuously shows +36 and even higher, up to +52 degrees. In winter, +13-14 degrees is stably observed, the minimum for a long-term period was recorded at around +1.

Uwe Braun/flickr.com

The rainy season falls on the winter and spring months with precipitation up to 10 mm. Tourists are advised to visit the garden city in early autumn or in the first months of spring at the most comfortable temperature.

It is worth considering that at night there are often cold winds, and on some days - sandstorms, the source of which is located in the east and is called the Little Nefud desert.

How to get there

When you find Riyadh on the map, you can see that the city is territorially quite isolated. However, this did not prevent the capital from becoming the largest transport hub in the country.

By rail

The railway line connects the Persian Gulf port of El Dammam with Riyadh. The distance between the extreme points is almost 450 km.

The journey takes about 4.5 hours. The railway stations of the four stations, including Abqaiq and El Hofuf, are similar to each other, as they were designed by one person architect Lucio Barbera.

By road

The length of roads is 153.5 thousand km, one third of which is paved.

The capital of the SA can be easily reached by car from Mecca or Jeddah, which are located near the Red Sea, from Khufuf, located near the shores of the Persian Gulf.

soren2013/flickr.com

An important feature of Riyadh highways is the canvas, the unique formula of which provides a low level of heat reflection. This contributes to less heating of air flows above the road, which means greater comfort of movement in the car.

By plane

There are 208 airports on the territory of the state, 3 of which are international, the rest provide domestic transportation. Concrete covering of runways is observed only at 73 airports.

The flight to Riyadh will end at King Khalid Airport, which is located 36 km from the capital. Four terminals offer passengers the services of hotels, restaurants, DutyFree shops, exchange offices, banks, first-aid posts. The parking lot is designed for 11.5 thousand cars.

You can buy plane or train tickets using the portal.

The capital city meets with many upscale hotels that meet the highest standards.

Uwe Braun/flickr.com

If you want to settle in conditions with minimal comfort, you can use economy class housing at a price of $ 20 per day. Fans of not limiting themselves to financial conventions should cook at least $ 500 / night.

The most popular among visitors is the Riyadh Marriott hotel in the center of the capital with a good location near the Exhibition Center, the Diplomatic Quarter. A room with all the conditions necessary for living will cost in the range of 50-250 dollars per day.

You can view suitable accommodation options and book a room in advance using the portal.

Video: travel notes from Riyadh.

Sights of the capital

Riyadh cannot but please with the sights, the inspection of which will bring indelible impressions and vivid memories for many years to come:

• The royal center, made of metal and glass, is visible literally from any corner. The ultra-modern building is the property of the royal family and the embodiment of the power of the ruling dynasty. Travelers call the building the eye of a needle, the lighter, the tower of Sauron because of an interesting opening resembling an inverted arch. The upper boundary of the Burj Al Mamlaka skyscraper is a bridge from which fantastically beautiful views open up.
• Masmak fortress is one of the iconic historical buildings. The date of construction is 1865. The design of the building was based on the canons of the construction of fortifications. The quadrangular Masmak Fort is made of light brown material with sand. In the corners there are round towers with a crown of pointed battlements. Small windows - salvation from enemy shells. Today, the fort invites you to visit museum expositions dedicated to the history of the country and the capital.
• The Murabba Palace was built over 9 years (1936-1945) by order of King Abdulaziz. In the 50s of the last century, after the completion of the functions of the royal residence, the palace ceased to be in demand, which negatively affected its appearance. After some time, the fortress was restored, a historical center was founded, a park zone was arranged nearby, and new buildings were added. The project cost $180 million. Visiting the palace premises has been open since 1999.
• The National Museum of Saudi Arabia is located in the Royal Historical Center. The author of the building was Raymond Moriyama, an architect from Canada. Interestingly, the western facade is made in the shape of a crescent, which points in the direction of Mecca. Tourists will be able to visit 8 halls, which are large-scale thematic exhibitions, and not a demonstration of individual exhibits.
• Riyadh is called the city of mosques. Over 2410 temples for Muslims were built on its territory. The number of daily visitors reaches 1.5 million people. One of the most famous mosques Al-Madi is located next to National Museum. The walls are made of red brick and not plastered. The two-tier building has a minaret and a prayer hall. The decoration is an unpretentious pattern.
• Nahda Park is a sports recreation area with a width of 80 m and a length of 1.72 km. Basketball, volleyball, tennis courts are equipped on its territory, jogging tracks are prepared, alleys for leisurely walks are laid out, areas for skiing and cycling are allocated, areas for children's games and for the disabled are provided. Entrance to Nahda Park is free. Cozy cafes, Internet access, mini-bazaar are at guests' disposal.
• The Riyadh Zoo, founded in 1957, is the largest in the country. At first, animals presented as a gift to the rulers of the country were cared for here, and subsequently the territory was completely reconstructed. The zoo occupied 23 hectares. The enclosures contain about 1.5 thousand animals of 45 species. If you want to walk around the zoo with your child, you should take into account some rules: only one of the parents can bring the baby, men - on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, women - on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday.

You can order a tour of the places you like using the sites

Writing about Avedon is difficult. The question immediately arises - what, in fact, Avedon to talk about: about a portrait painter or a fashion photographer, about his commercial work or about his social photography? Even among the recognized classics of the twentieth century, he stands out for his rare ability to successfully work in completely different genres, to combine commercial filming and copyright projects. And if other masters can often be easily identified within the framework of a certain style, then Richard Avedon is not so easy to classify. .

From the series "In Memory of the Late Mr. & Mrs. Comfort", 1995

The beginning of the road and the revolution in advertising

You can start with a biography: at the age of 19, Richard Avedon is doing alternative military service in the photographic department of the US Navy - basically taking pictures of sailors for documents. “I must have taken a hundred thousand puzzled faces before I realized I was becoming a photographer.” And after the service, in 1945, the young man goes to study at the Design Laboratory (“ The Design Laboratory ”) - the legendary school of designer Alexei Brodovich, which in those years was perhaps the most advanced educational institution, a forge of American photographers and illustrators. The head of the school, Russian emigrant Alexei Brodovich, pushed his students in every possible way to experiment and think outside the box. Known, for example, beautiful phrase Brodovitch: "If you look into the camera and see what you have already seen once, do not press the shutter."

Brodovich was also the art director of Harper's Bazaar magazine, and soon Avedon began shooting for the magazine. Twenty years of work at the prestigious Harper's Bazaar is the first stage of Avedon's long career.

Richard Avedon and Fred Astaire, 1957

I must say that in those post-war years in fashion photography, the patterns set by the pioneers of the genre in the 20s and 30s were still very popular. The standards set by Steichen, Horst and other masters of studio photography were considered a role model, and therefore model shooting was almost always carried out in the studio. even with a distant expression. The reason for this style was social aspect: fashion magazines then they still continued to be considered an attribute of high society, people with prosperity, therefore, in model shooting, the image of a “beautiful lady” was embodied - an image full of grace and dignity, but at the same time not expressing any vivid emotions. The photographers shot this impeccable static image either in a luxurious setting expensive interiors, or in the laconic scenery of photo studios.

But fashion photography gradually became more democratic, it began to go beyond the studios, gaining momentum and movement. As early as the 1930s, former sports reporter Martin Munkacsy began filming his models outdoors, in motion; Briton Norman Parkinson filmed whole plot scenes, which already implied some further development of the plot and "story behind the scenes."

A phrase from the memoirs of Parkinson is indicative: “ In the photographs of Steichen, Beaton and other photographers, women looked like sophisticated sissies. I wanted women to drive cars, go shopping, babysit children, play with dogs in my pictures.

And Richard Avedon continued this quiet revolution with his filming.in the world of fashion photography started by Munkacsy and Parkinson. (It must be said that he openly acknowledged Munkácsy's influence and even made a kind of "tribute", a tribute to the Hungarian master - his own version of the famous photograph of Munkácsy with a girl jumping over puddles). The noble equanimity of the models of the 30s was replaced by new style in which there was movement, there was open emotion and spontaneity - that's keywords, which can describe the innovation of Avedon. In his pictures, the models no longer look like cold static mannequins - they sincerely enjoy life, run somewhere, dance, laugh and do not hide their emotions. Such naturalness and joy of being looked very nice, and such advertising worked effectively - because the audience immediately wanted to be transported there, to this attractive reality shown by the photographer.

coat from Cardin, 1957

New Dior Collection, 1947

Dior dress, 1955

Shooting for Dior, Paris, 1956

"Lanvin-Castillo" dress advertisement, 1956

Paris, 1951

hat ads. Paulette”, 1948

advertisement for Balenciaga hats, 1955

And largely thanks to Avedon "glossy" photography began to take on naturalness, model shooting began to resemble a reportage shot, a scene from everyday life. Fashion photography moved from luxurious studio interiors to the streets, became more democratic, and now it was easier for middle-class girls to imagine themselves in the place of a model.

In the studio, Avedon also continued to shoot - but his studio shoots were often full of dynamics. For some time, the photographer’s signature technique was the slight blurring of models shot in motion - he quite consciously did not “freeze” the movement with short shutter speeds, and this also helped to make the photo more lively and direct. Avedon's models recall his ability to create a comfortable atmosphere for shooting - for example, in the studio, he invited the models to choose the background music themselves.

hat from "Paulette", 1949

Mia Farrow, 1966

Kimberly dress, 1967

backstage shooting

Macrini evening dress, 1961

Twiggy, 1968

His own attention to models is evidenced by his own words: “I grew up in a house full of women. I saw how important clothes are to them, their appearance and beauty - and how they try not to advertise it. As a photographer, I tried to overcome this barrier and show in the photo not only the dress, but also what it means for a woman to wear such a dress.”

Another “trump card” of Avedon was the ability to mix the seemingly incongruous, play on contrasts - as in the photograph where the famous model Dovima in a luxurious evening dress poses among several ... elephants. In our time, perhaps such a picture is no longer too surprising familiar to everything viewer, but in those years it never occurred to anyone to shoot something like that. But Avedon decided to combine in one shot a fragile model and huge elephants, the thin silk of her dress with wrinkled animal skin - and from this contrast a truly epoch-making photograph was born - since then, many photographers, with varying degrees of success, have been trying to play on such oppositions. Yes, and himself Avedon used such contrasts more than once - for example, in the picture where Nastasya Kinski hugs a boa constrictor or in the famous series " In Memory of the Late Mr. and Mrs. Comfort where model Nadja Auermann poses with a skeleton.

evening dress from Dior, 1955

Nastassja Kinski with a snake, 1981

Starting in the 70s, Avedon was less likely to engage in model shooting, devoting more time and effort to his other projects. However, he did not leave the business and still remained one of the most sought-after photographers in this field. Here, for dessert, a few more shots from different years:

Shooting for Dior at the Eiffel Tower, 1950

Jean Shrimpton, 1965

Nadia Auermann and Kristen McMenamy, 1995

Scarf by Versace

1995

Text written for educational project fujifilm.ru
Continuation of Avedon as a portrait painter -

Oh, guys, what pictures I have for you! mmmmm, I'm a bastard
Yesterday we went with Tanyunya to the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, for my new passport. Six months ago, I spent 5 hours at the embassy, ​​waiting for a passport, and we didn’t really see anything, but this time I missed the hour (with payment in the bank) and therefore we had the opportunity to see Riyadh a little. The ancient winding streets with adobe houses, in which people still live in the very heart of the capital, the El Bataa district, I just squealed with pleasure, took pictures and took pictures. And of course, modern Riyadh also got into the frame more than once.

We left Bahrain early, at 5 in the morning (after all, almost pitsot kilometers one way), in order to drive up to the consulate by 10 am.
Let me start by showing you a couple of photos from the Saudi desert. Where there is yellow sand, landscapes are not very beautiful, but when red sands begin, it is impossible to take your eyes off the dunes. I envied Tanyun, but I had to look at the road, I set the cruise control to 150 km / h.

We stopped, Tanyunya picked up a sand for memory. By the way, the sand is cold, so unusual-)

Beautiful not everywhere. Where people got to (mostly near gas stations) here is such a picture. It's a pity

This is already at the entrance to Riyadh. Lonely tree.

At the entrance to Riyadh. Lots of camel farms. What kind of people just don’t breed here, and black and white and redheads. By the way, it’s also winter here (well, it’s like winter, + 20C), and some camels are dressed in coats so that they don’t freeze. Too bad we couldn't take a picture. And so I would call this photo "Who-who? A camel in a coat!"

This, as I understand it, is some kind of shopping center made in the form of a ship. Cool.

Riyadh itself is quite a green city, despite being in the desert. By the way, if I'm not mistaken, Riyadh is translated from ancient Arabic as a green city or gardens.

I photograph mosques everywhere. I love taking pictures of them, because they are all different always.

Another one. The limit for trucks is 70 km/h. Arabic numerals, gee

We arrived half an hour early. Waiting for the consulate to open.

Tanya is crazy in the car.

As I said, this time everything happened quickly and we rushed to the center of the capital to the fortress-museum of El Masmak.

The southern (and as I understand it, the only) gate to the fortress. There are towers in the corners of the fortress. Pay attention to the holes, I will show them later from the inside.

Guests were received here. Seagull, hookah, concubines drove dear guests-)

Between all the rooms there are such beautiful doors

Antique inkwells. They wrote in the last century.

Cold steel of those times. (those times - 1930s)

Tanya and the rifles

Yes, yes, we are here, in the heart of Saudi Arabia.

Warrior of those times. In my opinion, the current Saudi clothing is not much different from that. And Tanyunya fit in so well.

And this is exactly the same tower from the inside. Stairs to the "second floor" of the tower and holes through which guns were pushed and fought off enemies.

Fortress courtyard. You can sit down and relax

Stone basins and saucepans of those times.

And even a whole gun.

I also really liked the photos in the museum. This is Riyadh in the 1950s. You will see the same houses later.

This photo made a big impression. Streets of Riyadh. In the foreground, a barber shaves a client; a little further on, a dentist removes a tooth. 1951 Can you imagine this in Moscow in the 1950s? Me not!

And once again the gate to the fortress. Do you see such crap over them? Do you know what for? They fired at those who tried to open the gates of the fortress. From above, right on the heads of the attackers, a volley of three rifles. And yet, they say, the tip of the same spear was immured into this gate, with which the Turkish governor was killed and after which the state of Saudi Arabia appeared. In the 30s of the last century.

After the fortress we walked a bit. City streets

This is local. In a jacket over his dressing gown, a scarf wound around his head and slippers, they are so funny-)

We came across this and this (next two photos) and decided to cross the road, as M.S. Gorbachev, go deeper.

Another mosque. Cool, right?

The same area with adobe houses. Satellite dishes were delivered of course.

They obviously don't live here anymore.

Ancient columns.

The walls inside their houses were obviously decorated.

And someone has repaired his house and lives in it normally. Left yellow

Mosque in the area. Functioning. I saw people getting in and out.

Aunty, how do we get to the nearest bar? I'm a fool!

Narrow streets for one car, in the background a modern skyscraper.

In the depths of the ruins, someone clearly lives, the road has been cleared there

Apartment number 12. Touches the door-))) Pay attention to the ancient air conditioner. They live here.

And they live here.

I wonder why they make such small windows all the time. To keep cool? This is probably how we made huts with small windows in Russia in order to keep it warm in winter.

Apartment 29. We saw that some piece of paper was sticking out of the door. It turns out the bill is from the local water utility. Somehow water is also served here !!!

And there is clearly a taxi driver living here.

Tanyunya kept telling me “Let’s get out of here, I’m restless here,” so they didn’t go further and returned to the car. Here's another photo I liked. With a bicycle on the roof-)

And in 2 minutes from this area there are already modern realities.

I don't even know what it is

The famous "opener"

By the way, the traffic in Riyadh is the same as in Moscow. True, all this is aggravated by the fact that the Arabs travel in all sorts of ways, constantly honking each other, cutting and in general. Tu mac stressful form mi!

We had lunch at a food court in some mall(Katya, sorry, but we did not find those restaurants that you advised, we rode around Riyadh for an hour and a half, got hungry, spat and were already ready to eat at McDonald's). Please note that there are two lines everywhere - only for women and only for men. So that men with aunts in the same queue do not rub against each other-)

On the way home we met two such miracles.

And again desert-desert-desert

We left after dark and returned at night to Bahrain. A thousand kilometers, 14 hours driving. At 8 pm we were already sleeping like marmots-)

I hope you were interested.
Personally, I review and review these photos of the old district of Riyadh.