Old Riyadh

Old Riyadh (Arabic: الرياض القديمة, romanized: ar-Riyāḍ al-Qadīmah) is an umbrella term used for a loosely defined region that primarily lies in the southern portion of modern-day Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, encompassing neighborhoods and settlements that emerged from the ruins of Hajr al-Yamamah in late 16th century or existed during pre-Islamic era,^[1][2] the erstwhile walled town (today Qasr Al Hukm District) enclosed within the defensive fortifications and its immediate vicinity prior to its demolition in the 1950s,^[3] villages and former towns located along the outskirts of Riyadh (such as Irqah and Manfuhah) that got incorporated into the metropolis following multiple phases of expansion and modernization between the 1950s and 1970s. To some extent, neighborhoods excluded during Riyadh's rapid urbanization during the same period are also categorized as part of old districts, with most of them situated in the modern downtown.^[4]