Planned more than 40 years ago, the Diplomatic Quarter (DQ) is a government and embassy district, but it is not limited to the 80 or so embassies, consulates and various related institutions, but also houses residential areas for officials and diplomats, as well as public squares and secluded picnic areas for the citizens of Riyadh. The DQ has also become a trendy food & drink district with trendy restaurants and cafés where Riyadh’s young upper class and businessmen in particular gather for a get-together….
The best thing about visiting the DQ is that you can explore it on foot, as Riyadh is not otherwise a pedestrian-friendly city. The DQ includes streets with pavements, numerous designated pedestrian and bicycle paths and several small parks with attractive green spaces. This makes the streets of the DQ and the neighbourhood’s footpaths wonderful to stroll along. For example, start at Circle 5 in the south and follow Omaya Al Damri Rd to get to Tuwayq Palace in the north -then you will have gained quite a good impression of the DQ.
You will pass the Palace of Culture on the way, which is an architectural landmark and is not only known for its unique and grand architectural style, but also serves as a venue for major events. Since the end of 2022, the building has been temporarily closed for renovation.
You will then pass Al-Kindi Plaza and the Al-Kindi Mosque – both striking elements of the DQ which, as an architectural “duo”, exude a spatial generosity that is picked up and continued by the adjacent buildings.
The Tuwayq Palace in the northwest of the diplomatic quarter was its central cultural institution until a few years ago. It was designed in the 1990s and was awarded the Agha Khan Prize for Architecture in 1998. Its club-like design echoes two local archetypes, the fort and the tent, surrounded by a long, winding wall clad in local stone, creating an oasis-like shelter. Today (Nov. 2022), the palace is closed and awaiting renovations.
