Shaqra Old Town

Shaqra Old Town is the historic part of Shaqra, the seat of the governorate of the same name in the Al-Washm area of the Riyadh Region, north-west of the capital. It consists of a compact group of houses, mosques and markets built of mud and mudbrick in the Najdi style.

Shaqra was one of the most important towns of Al-Washm and an active trading centre in Najd, and its people were known for commerce and for travelling throughout Arabia and neighbouring lands. The town was enclosed by a wall with gates and towers for its defence. When modern neighbourhoods were built, residents moved to them and the old houses were left empty. Large parts have been restored in recent years with the participation of local people and heritage bodies.

Visitors see narrow lanes and two-storey mud houses with decorated wooden doors and triangular ventilation openings, squares where markets were once held, old mosques, towers and remains of the wall. The town reflects urban life in Najd before the oil era and is one of the notable sites of built heritage in the Riyadh Region.