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Seen by a Diplomat’s
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a museum wherein the personal belongings of King
Abdulaziz Al Saud are preserved and exhibited, together
with the gifts presented to him throughout his long life,
as well as public documents, photographs, geographical
maps and other exhibits connected with that citadel.
The other buildings and the palace are used as juridical
premises. At this place, on Fridays, the public execution
of criminals takes place. This is now very rare and only
men are allowed to attend. It is rare because the crime rate
is not high in the Saudi community, the reason seemingly
being the fact that the population adhere to religious
morality and are deterred by the justice of punishment.
Credit should be given to the authorities for providing
all that would preserve the special character of this part
of the city. Builders– who use modern and stronger
materials – are careful to make them look like mud bricks,
as though such new buildings represented those that have
survived, and imitate the style thereof. Such traditional
buildings with walls that incline inwards with very small
windows and roof curtains that are indented are built in
other locations of the city, adding to the city an original
touch. Usually, totally modern and comfortable exhibition
halls are organized in them, together with rows of shops,
as well as centers for weddings, which are given the name
of palaces.
In addition to Mecca and Medina, Riyadh may well be
described as an important city of the state. It encompasses
the premises of the Ministry of Pilgrimage, the Ministry
of Islamic Affairs and Endowments and more than 800
mosques, whose numbers are constantly increasing,
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Seen by a Diplomat’s Spouse
keeping abreast with the expansion of the city. They are
built in such a manner that each Muslim should have the
opportunity of hearing the “Adhan” (the call for prayer),
and, of reaching the nearest mosque on foot within three
minutes thereafter, wherever he might be.
The Riyadh mosques are not simply places for
performing the five daily prayers; they are also decorations
that embellish the city. Some exhibit beautiful domes and
architectural innovations together with internal decorations.
One such mosque is the mosque of Prince Faisal bin Turki,
that can accommodate 17 thousand persons, or the mosque
of the University of Imam Muhammad bin Saud within
the University campus. Another is the mosque in the
square of the International Airport, each accommodating
five thousand persons. There are other more modest
mosques in terms of size, luxury, and expanse. They are
imitations of the traditional style. Such small buildings
can be seen all along the car routes, near petrol stations.
Five times a day, the beautiful voices of the muezzins
are heard melodiously spanning the sky of the city, upon
which the rhythm of daily life comes to a still, as people
head towards the mosques in order to pray in all humility.
Work at government institutions and departments stop and
the entrances of commercial stores, hairdresser saloons,
sumptuous and popular restaurants are closed, and people
head towards the houses of worship, whose gates are
constantly open to receive the uninterrupted arrival of
people who come to pray.
Throughout the recent decades, Riyadh had become
famous as a scientific and cultural center. Operating therein