Murabba Palace, Royal palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Murabba Palace is a former royal residence in Riyadh that now serves as a museum. The structure made from mud brick and timber features courtyards, reception halls, and private chambers arranged around a central open plaza.
The king commissioned the compound in the late nineteen thirties outside the city limits at the time. The building was later converted into a museum after the royal family moved to other palaces.
The name Murabba means square and refers to the symmetrical shape of the compound. Visitors see furniture and everyday objects in the rooms that show how royal families lived during the first half of the twentieth century.
The museum opens daily and allows visitors to walk through the rooms and view displayed items. Photography is permitted in most areas, though some chambers may be closed for restoration work.
In the late 1940s a lift was installed in the palace because King Abdulaziz had difficulty climbing the stairs owing to arthritis; it was the first lift in Saudi Arabia. The king appointed one of his sons, Prince Mansour, as emir of the palace.
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