{{Distinguish|New Murabba}} {{use dmy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Al-Murabba | official_name = | settlement_type = Neighbourhood | image_skyline = National Museum Riyadh (6781666263).jpg | caption = The National Museum of Saudi Arabia, 2012 | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Saudi Arabia}} | subdivision_type2 = City | subdivision_name2 = Riyadh | native_name = المربع | founder = | p1 = | governing_body = Al Malaz Sub-Municipality | subdivision_type1 = | subdivision_name1 = | demographics_type1 = Language | demographics1_title1 = Official | demographics1_info1 = Arabic | coordinates = {{Coord|24|38|46|N|46|42|36|E|type:city_region:SA|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_map = | native_name_lang = ar | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_total_km2 = 4.88 }} '''Al-Murabba''' ({{Langx|ar|المربع|lit=the square|translit=al-murabbaʿ}}), historically known as '''Beneyah''', is a neighborhood in central Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-04-19 |script-title=ar:الإدارة العامة للنظافة |url=http://clean.alriyadh.gov.sa/Pages/Cleaning_Project.aspx |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=clean.alriyadh.gov.sa |archive-date=2015-04-19 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150419133422/http://clean.alriyadh.gov.sa/Pages/Cleaning_Project.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> located west of al-Wazarat and north of al-Futah in the sub-municipality of al-Malaz. Its name reportedly comes from a broken square-shaped dry well around which the Murabba Palace was built in the 1940s and from where latter's name gets derived as well.<ref name="بالفيديو_2022">{{Cite web |script-title=ar:بالفيديو.. العساف: "بئر معطلة" وراء تسمية حي المربع بهذا الاسم |url=https://slaati.com//2021/03/23/p1826214.html |access-date=2022-09-04 |script-website=ar:صحيفة صدى الالكترونية}}</ref><ref name="ليستنسبةللقصر_2022">{{Cite web |script-title=ar:ليست نسبة للقصر.. تعرف على أصل تسمية حي المربع في الرياض |url=https://garbnews.net/news/s/https%3A%2F%2Fgarbnews.net%3A443%2Fnews%2Fs%2F186974 |access-date=2022-09-04 |script-website=ar:غرب الإخبــارية |language=ar-sa }}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> It was built on the site of Beneyah,<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 February 2022 |title=الرياض.. أصالة وعراقة |url=https://www.alriyadh.com/2122613 |access-date=15 January 2026 |website=www.alriyadh.com}}</ref> one of the towns that emerged in the aftermath of the disintegration of Hajr al-Yamamah in 16th century and is today situated in close proximity to the al-Batʼha commercial area and the Qasr al-Hukm District.
Al-Murabba has lent its name to the New Murabba project, a planned downtown and real estate development in northwestern Riyadh. The neighborhood hosts a large presence of overseas Egyptian community.<ref>{{Cite web |author=عبد الله محمد |date=2006-09-24 |script-title=ar:الهنود حول المطاعم |url=https://www.alyaum.com/articles/425448/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%85 |access-date=2023-12-11 |website=alyaum |language=Arabic}}</ref>
== History == The area was historically known as Beneyah, one of the towns that emerged from the 16th century disintegration of Hajr al-Yamamah. In the 18th century, regular skirmishes used to take place between the First Saudi State and forces loyal to Riyadh’s ruler Dahham ibn Dawwas between 1746 and 1773.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 February 2022 |title=الرياض.. أصالة وعراقة |url=https://www.alriyadh.com/2122613 |access-date=15 January 2026 |website=www.alriyadh.com}}</ref>
After the unification of Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz ordered building of palaces outside the former city walls of Old Riyadh, marking one of the preludes for the subsequent expansions of Riyadh.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-04-15 |script-title=ar:حي المربع .. مَهَّدَ من خارج السور القديم نهضة الرياض الحديثة |url=https://www.al-madina.com/article/727736/محليات/حي-المربع-مهد-من-خارج-السور-القديم-نهضة-الرياض-الحديثة |access-date=2022-09-04 |script-website=ar:جريدة المدينة |language=ar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 March 2007 |script-title=ar:"حي المربع" الانطلاقة والازدهار لباقي أجزاء العاصمة بدأت من هنا |url=https://www.alriyadh.com/235279 |access-date=5 September 2022 |website=www.alriyadh.com |language=ar}}</ref> One of the places he chose was in the Murabba neighborhood in 1937 to build the Murabba Palace. According to Saudi historian Mansour al-Assaf, there was a square-shaped dry well in the neighborhood, from which the area derives its name 'al-Murabba' (lit. the square).<ref name="بالفيديو_2022" /><ref name="ليستنسبةللقصر_2022" /> In 1969, the Riyadh Water Tower was inaugurated in the neighborhood.<ref>{{Cite web |script-title=ar:كازينو الرياض - م. بدر بن ناصر الحمدان |url=https://www.al-jazirah.com/2020/20201214/ln17.htm |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=www.al-jazirah.com |archive-date=2024-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910154614/https://www.al-jazirah.com/2020/20201214/ln17.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1999, the King Abdulaziz Historical Center which contained the Abdulaziz's former Murabba Palace and the National Museum was inaugurated by King Fahd to commemorate the 100th anniversary (in terms of Hijri calendar) of Abdulaziz's capturing of Riyadh in 1902.<ref>{{Cite web |script-title=ar:المتحف الوطني في الرياض.. بوابة جزيرة العرب إلى التاريخ, |url=https://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?issueno=10261&article=428826#.YxWMWnZBzIU |access-date=2022-09-05 |website=archive.aawsat.com |archive-date=2024-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240910154532/https://archive.aawsat.com/details.asp?issueno=10261&article=428826#.YxWMWnZBzIU |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Legacy == In February 2023, crown prince Mohammed bin Salman announced a new downtown project in northwest of Riyadh, known as the New Murabba, named after the neighborhood. He also unveiled the project of Mukaab, a {{convert|400|meters|adj=on}} cuboidal skyscraper located in the New Murabba and is modeled after the cuboidal layout of the Murabba Palace.<ref name="www.alriyadh.com_2023">{{Cite web |date=18 February 2023 |script-title=ar:من المربع القديم للجديد.. الـ"داون تاون" الأحدث عالمياً |url=https://www.alriyadh.com/1998127 |access-date=31 March 2023 |website=www.alriyadh.com |language=ar |archive-date=31 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331150235/https://www.alriyadh.com/1998127 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="المربع_2023">{{Cite web |script-title=ar:«المربع» بين زمنين في تاريخ العاصمة السعودية |url=https://aawsat.com/home/article/4168446/%C2%AB%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%B9%C2%BB-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%B2%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9 |access-date=2023-03-31 |script-website=ar:الشرق الأوسط |language=ar |archive-date=2023-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407160153/https://aawsat.com/home/article/4168446/%C2%AB%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%B9%C2%BB-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%B2%D9%85%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="العبوش_2023">{{Cite web |last=العبوش |first=قحطان |script-title=ar:السعودية.. قصر المربع الطيني القديم يكتسب شهرة عالمية عبر مشروع جديد |url=https://www.eremnews.com/entertainment/yovjfrdjgq |access-date=2023-03-31 |script-website=ar:إرم نيوز |language=ar |archive-date=2023-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331150435/https://www.eremnews.com/entertainment/yovjfrdjgq |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Gallery == <gallery mode="packed"> File:Al Murabba, Riyadh Saudi Arabia - panoramio.jpg|A walkway along the road crossing the historical center File:Palm Oasis Murabba Riyadh.jpg|The One Hundred Palm Trees Park in Al Murabba File:1قصر المربع.jpg|Inside Al Murabba Fort File:قصر المربع.jpg|The Murabba Fort building File:Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace, 2023.jpg|Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace, 2023 </gallery>
== See also ==
* Al-Batʼha * Al Malazz (Riyadh) * King Abdulaziz Historical Center
== References == {{Reflist}}
Category:Neighbourhoods in Riyadh