MoS Muraleedharan visits UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif in Riyadh

Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], May 3 : Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on visited At-Turaif, UNESCO World Heritage Site and capital of the first Saudi State, in Riyadh.
"Had a brief visit to At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site and capital of the first Saudi State, in Riyadh. The tourism and heritage Diriyah Gate Project coming up in the vicinity of Al-Turaif is a good opportunity for Indian companies," tweeted Muraleedharan.
Muraleedharan on Monday reached Riyadh for a four-day visit to Saudi Arabia.
Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) project, which aims to be "one of the world's foremost lifestyle destinations for culture and heritage, hospitality, retail, and education, and will become one of the world's great gathering places," according to Saudi Vision 2030.
The DGDA project is an ambitious tourism initiative in Saudi Arabia that hopes to pull in travellers from all over the world in the coming decades.
With a location on the outskirts of the capital city of Riyadh, this project is centred around the historic centre of Diriyah and the At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site, an iconic mud-brick city with roots that date back to the 15th century.
At-Turaif was actually the first capital of the Saudi dynasty, and the site is remarkably well-preserved considering its construction and the hundreds of years that have passed. Visitors here can learn about the history of Saudi Arabia, and they can even explore its castles and buildings firsthand.
Improving At-Turaif is only one aspect of the DGDA project, and the plan has multiple objectives. The first is promoting the cultural heritage and history found in Saudi Arabia.
Others include improving employment opportunities for locals in Saudi Arabia and creating an environment that makes it possible to host world-class cultural entertainment events.