Al-Dirah (), pronounced as ad-Dirah and alternatively transliterated as Dheera, Deirah, Deerah or Deera, is a neighborhood and a subject of
Baladiyah al-Batha in southern
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
, located south of
al-Futah and west of
al-Marqab. Forming the kernel of the
old city Old City often refers to old town, the historic or original core of a city or town.
Old City may refer to several places:
Historical cities or regions of cities
''(by country)''
*Old City (Baku), Azerbaijan
* Old City (Dhaka), Bangladesh, also ca ...
region enclosed within the former
city walls
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
, it is widely considered to be the antecedent to modern
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the R ...
since the metropolis outgrew as an offshoot of the walled town in the 1950s.
Deerah is today a popular tourist attraction as it hosts several historical and traditional landmarks, such as the
Justice Palace (Qasr al-Hukm),
al-Masmak Fort, ad-Dirah Souk, Al-Mu'eiqilia market
and
Deera Square __NOTOC__
Deera Square ( ar, ساحة الديرة) is a public space in Al Dirah (Riyadh), Deera, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is also known as Justice Square, and derisively as Chop Chop Square by Western visitors. It is a former site of public ex ...
. The origins of the neighborhood can be traced back to 1747 when Deham bin Dawas al-Shalaan constructed the
Qasr al-Hukm in the walled town.
In popular culture
*
Baby (2015), a fictional city in
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
named Al Dera which hosts the
Chop Chop Square __NOTOC__
Deera Square ( ar, ساحة الديرة) is a public space in Deera, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is also known as Justice Square, and derisively as Chop Chop Square by Western visitors. It is a former site of public executions, where th ...
.
References
Neighbourhoods in Riyadh
{{SaudiArabia-geo-stub