Al-Abtal Gate (), or Riyadh al-Gharbia Gate (), is a pair of symmetrical memorial monuments situated on the either side of Highway 40 (Makkah al-Mukarramah Road) at the Qiddiya

civilian checkpoint Civilian checkpoints or security checkpoints are distinguishable from border or frontier checkpoints in that they are erected and enforced within contiguous areas under military or paramilitary control. Civilian checkpoints have been employed ...

in southwestern Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, officially partitioned between

King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE) Is an scientific, research and governmental entity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that is legally independent chaired by the Minister of Energy, which deals with the issues of nuc ...

from the north and Nemar suburb from the south. Constructed from 2001 to 2013 and modelled mainly after the Masmak Fortress, it commemorates the

Battle of Riyadh The Battle of Riyadh was a minor battle in Riyadh, then part of the Emirate of Ha'il, fought between the Rashidi dynasty and the House of Saud in January 1902 that resulted in the latter's takeover of walled town by Ibn Saud. The battle is ...

of 1902 and is a local visitor attraction besides being a stopover for travellers passing through the city’s western exit.

History

The monument was inaugurated in 2013 during the reign of

King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ( ar, عبدالله بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود ''ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd'', Najdi Arabic pronunciation: ; 1 August 1924 – 23 January 2015) was King and Prime Minister of Saudi A ...

and pays a tribute to King Abdulaziz ibn Saud and his companions in their efforts to recapture the

walled town of Riyadh The walled town of Riyadh was the original core of Riyadh, the modern-day capital of Saudi Arabia, located on the western edge of Wadi al-Batʼha in present-day districts of ad-Dirah and ad-Doho. It succeeded from Migrin in 1746 when Dahham ...

in a battle in 1902. It resembles the cylindrical mudbrick watchtowers of

Masmak Fort The Masmak Fort ( ar, translit=Qaṣr al-Maṣmak, قصر المصمك), also called the Masmak Fortress or Masmak Palace, is a clay and mudbrick fort in ad-Dirah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Built in 1865 for prince 'Abdurrahman ibn Sulaiman AlDabaan ...

ress and those of the former city fortifications of the old walled town. The monument showcases a model of King Abdulaziz's sword, cleaving a sizeable rock that symbolizes the hardships endured by the people in the former days, paving the way for prosperity as spring flowed. Behind it stand 13 flags, each representing a province of Saudi Arabia. Surrounding the monument are 64 panels that are inscribed with the names of companions of King Abdulaziz, who assisted him during the battle for the takeover of Riyadh. Construction for the project began during the reign of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, in 2001 and was a brainchild of Prince Turki bin Talal al-Saud. The monument was inaugurated by Prince Khalid bin Bandar al-Saud, the Governor of Riyadh Province in April 2013.

Gallery

File:Sword of Abdulaziz Heroes Gate.jpeg, Bronze monument depicting the Sword of King Abdulaziz and the names of his companions, 2023 File:Heroes Gate panoramic view, Nov 2023.jpeg, Al-Abtal Gate panoramic view on the side of Nemar suburb, 2023

References

{{Reflist Monuments and memorials in Saudi Arabia Monuments and memorials completed in the 2010s 2013 establishments in Saudi Arabia