Al-Subaie Palace

Al-Subaie Palace is a restored historic building in the old town of Al-Shagra, about 200 kilometres northwest of Riyadh. People come to see traditional Najdi building at close range, and to stand in a house where King Abdulaziz stayed during his visits to the area. The palace has two floors, with rooms and majlis spaces arranged around an open central courtyard. Look up and around: balconies, doors and windows carry Arabic and Islamic patterns, and the wooden beams and doorframes are hand-painted. The ceilings are made of tamarisk trunks covered with palm fronds, then finished with clay and gypsum, which helps keep out the desert heat. Spot the stone columns built from flattened, bead-like cylinders, and the triangular roof edges that carry rainwater away from the walls. Opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00, and visitors of every age are welcome. Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al-Subaie, then the regional representative of the Treasury, had the palace built in 1939, and it took four years to finish. Its later restoration was supervised by the Saudi Heritage Commission. Today it stands as a reminder of Al-Shagra's earlier importance and of its place in the story of modern Saudi Arabia.