As part of the national efforts to care for historic mosques and preserve their authentic architectural identity, Al-Awda Mosque in Diriyah Governorate is receiving special attention as one of the prominent religious and heritage landmarks in the Riyadh region, due to its historical value and social status rooted in the memory of the people of the neighborhood.

Awda Mosque is located in Al-Awda neighborhood in Diriyah Governorate, on the west bank of Wadi Hanifa, on the road leading to Al-Olab Dam, and is the main mosque for the neighborhood as there is no other one. The mosque is one of the oldest heritage mosques in the area, as it has been associated with the emergence of the neighborhood and its urban and social development over the decades.<In its first construction, the mosque was built of mud and consisted of several arcades formed by triangular arches of stones resting on stone columns, according to the prevailing pattern of traditional mosque architecture in the Najd region. Its southern entrance was topped by a square minaret and another entrance from the eastern side, while its northern wall was attached to the neighboring residences, and its solid western wall, centered on the mihrab, overlooks a small square that opens to a limited group of residences.<After more than thirty years, the mosque was rebuilt using concrete and modern materials, and additional expansions were made on its roof to accommodate the number of worshippers at Friday prayers and those coming from other Diriyah neighborhoods, by constructing a hall made of iron and corrugated sheet metal, which affected the visual appearance of the mosque and the surrounding area.<Although most of the mud houses in the neighborhood are now demolished, damaged or rebuilt with modern materials, the mosque is still full of worshippers. The mosque was built in the Saudi Najdi style and has undergone several successive restorations that used mud and natural materials in accordance with the local environment and the hot desert climate.

In the latest development, as part of Prince Mohammed bin Salman's project to develop historic mosques, the area of the mosque was expanded from 794 square meters to 1,369.82 square meters, and its capacity increased from 510 worshipers to 992 worshipers, enhancing its religious and social role while preserving its authentic architectural character.

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historic Mosques balances ancient and modern building standards in a way that gives the components of the mosques an appropriate degree of sustainability and integrates the effects of development with a range of heritage and historical characteristics, while being developed by Saudi companies specialized in heritage buildings and experienced in their field, with the importance of involving Saudi engineers to ensure that the original architectural identity of each mosque is preserved since its establishment.The project is based on four strategic objectives: rehabilitating historic mosques for worship and prayer, restoring the architectural authenticity of historic mosques, highlighting the civilizational dimension of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, enhancing the religious and cultural status of historic mosques, and contributing to the cultural and civilizational dimension of the Kingdom that is emphasized in Vision 2030 by preserving the original architectural characteristics and utilizing them in developing the design of modern mosques.