The great courtyard
The old parade ground.
saudipics — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Afas1407 — Public domain · saudipics — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Heritage Commission — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Heritage Commission — CC BY-SA 4.0
A historic mud-brick fortress in central Hail that served as army barracks. King Abdulaziz ordered it built in 1941, and it was finished within about eighteen months in the Najdi architectural style. Its large courtyard was used for training and parades, and its rooms for officers' offices, administration and weapon stores. In 2017 it was included in the first phase of restoration projects under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cultural Heritage Program. The palace is a two-storey rectangle around an open courtyard, built of clay, mud brick and stone and decorated with geometric and floral plasterwork typical of Hail's traditional architecture. It has 143 rooms, a mosque and eight round defensive towers, with crenellated parapets along its walls. It stands in the city centre within the Barzan heritage area, so pair it with the nearby Barzan Palace towers. Check opening times locally before you go.
The old parade ground.
Eight defensive towers.
Hail's traditional style.
Central Hail
Between 1941 and 1943, on King Abdulaziz's orders, as army barracks in the Najdi style.
