The Saudi Heritage Authority decided to add two heritage sites to the National Register of Urban Heritage in Saudi Arabia.
The sites included in the register are the first building that served as the headquarters of the Riyadh municipality and the first building that housed the headquarters of Al-Marqab Printing Press company in the Saudi capital.
The authority revealed that its decision was on the basis of the fourth paragraph of Article 45 of the Law of Antiquities; Museums and Urban Heritage issued by Royal Decree No. (M/3) for the year 1436.
The authority aims to register the two sites in the List of Urban Heritage Sites in Saudi Arabia to renovate; document; and protect them; in view of their historical value as part of the Riyadh Central Development project.
In a statement on its Twitter account; the authority said: "The Heritage Authority registers the Riyadh Municipality Building and Al-Marqab Printing Press in the list of the National Urban Heritage Register; as they are historical and heritage architectural landmarks; representing a distinct period of time in the history of Riyadh."
The Riyadh Municipality building was established in 1940 in the neighborhood of Al-Dhaheerah (Hotat Khalid); before the municipality moved to a second headquarters; located southwest of Riyadh in 1954.
A number of notables and poets lived in this two-story building; which is mainly made of mud and wood. The 80-year-old building has suffered some damages with the passage of time.
As for the Al-Marqab building; it was constructed in 1954 as part of the initiative taken by writer Hamad Al-Jasser; involving the participation of more than 200 people.
Al-Marqab building; located on Imam Abdul Rahman Bin Faisal Street in Al-Marqab neighborhood in the center of Riyadh; is regarded as the first printing press in the capital city.
