Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque is the principal Friday mosque of Riyadh, standing at the historic heart of the Saudi capital beside the old Masmak Fortress and the seat of the regional government. It is one of the largest mosques in the country and a focal point of the city's civic and religious life, especially on Fridays and during Ramadan.

It is named for the founder of the second Saudi state. Imam Turki bin Abdullah re-established Saudi rule over the central Najd region in the early nineteenth century and made Riyadh his capital, and the great mosque that bears his name anchors the very district where much of that formative history unfolded, close to the royal Qasr al-Hukm palace complex.

Its design is firmly rooted in local tradition. Built and later expanded in the austere Najdi style of central Arabia, it favours plain, thick walls of pale stone, simple geometry, small windows and the region's characteristic triangular crenellations over decorative ornament. The vast prayer halls and open courtyards together can hold tens of thousands of worshippers at the busiest times.

For visitors, the mosque is best appreciated as part of the wider historic Qasr al-Hukm district. It sits within easy walking distance of the restored Masmak Fortress, the old city walls and the traditional souks, and the whole quarter has been redeveloped as the ceremonial and cultural centre of Riyadh. Non-Muslims cannot enter the prayer halls, but the imposing exterior and the surrounding plazas, especially the adjoining Deera area, repay an unhurried walk. Dress conservatively, and explore in the cooler morning or evening hours. Evening, when the plazas are floodlit and cooler, is the most pleasant time to walk the historic quarter around it.