The Board of Directors of the Royal Commission for Riyadh announced the start of construction on King Abdulaziz Park, one of the major parks in Riyadh —as part of the “Green Riyadh” projects.

A directive had been issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud—may God support him—to name the park “King Abdulaziz Park” based on a proposal submitted by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City —may God preserve him—construction work has begun on the project, which covers an area of approximately 4.3 million square meters and will take 36 months to complete. and is located north of Riyadh on King Salman bin Abdulaziz Road to the north, Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Road to the west, Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen Road to the east, and Anas bin Malik Road to the south.

King Abdulaziz Park is distinguished by its proximity to key locations such as King Khalid International Airport and Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University, and the park is also connected to the train station, making it easily accessible from all parts of the city.

The design for King Abdulaziz Park was selected from among a number of proposals submitted by four international firms that presented their best ideas and designs to meet sustainability standards and environmental requirements, The winning design concept was based on a distinctive approach that takes the local environment into account, featuring six diverse styles of trees and related designs; most notably the botanical garden, which is situated at the center of the park, covering an area of more than 200,000 square meters and featuring more than 200 species of native plants in high density, The project also makes use of the Shu’ayb al-Munsiya stream, a tributary of Wadi al-Sali that runs through the park for over 11 kilometers, covering an area of more than 770,000 square meters within the botanical garden and commercial buildings with sustainable designs that blend their location within the garden, along with a panoramic trail overlooking them that stretches over 2 kilometers. The other five design themes included highland, lowland, plateau, and desert gardens, each designed with a selection of different trees and shrubs to enhance biodiversity and create an environment that attracts birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.

King Abdulaziz Park will be reforested so that the areas shaded by trees cover 65% of the park’s total area, through the planting of more than two million carefully selected trees and shrubs suited to the environment of Riyadh to ensure their sustainability, and by using recycled irrigation water in quantities appropriate to the trees" needs.

Landmarks of King Abdulaziz Park

King Abdulaziz Park will feature buildings designed to be distinctive and attractive environmental landmarks that form an urban landscape defining the park, attracting city residents and tourists, and providing recreational spaces, The park contains 24 children’s play areas and 30 sports areas distributed throughout the park. Additionally, the Al-Munsiya Valley has been incorporated into the design, which helps lower temperatures to provide a healthy, all-day recreational experience for all age groups, and increasing the average number of steps per person to more than 6,000 per day through tree-lined paths designed for walking, running, and cycling, with a total length exceeding 115 kilometers. The park also features green terraces, plazas, and open-air stages for events and festivals, as well as restaurants and a variety of recreational activities.