Dariya, birthplace of the first Saudi state, historic crossroads of pilgrims and merchants, and site of one of the kingdom's most ambitious heritage developments. The main district of al-Turaif, which is distinguished by its citadel, was the first seat of power for the Al Saud family. In 1727, the city was designated as the capital of the kingdom and established the foundations of what would become a unified Saudi Arabia. Dariya fell at the end of 1818 and had to give the title of capital to the neighboring city of Riyadh. The ruins of al-Turaif were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010 and since then have been undergoing painstaking restoration work aimed at bringing the historical heritage back to life. Work is still continuing at Dariya but several historic sites are already open to the public. Special thank you to @fendi Photo by @andreyvashkiv Production @tilsitt_consulting