Brief synthesisThe At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah was the first capital of the Saudi Dynasty, in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, north-west of Riyadh. The property includes the remains of many palaces and an urban ensemble built on the edge of the ad-Dir'iyah oasis. Criterion (v): The site of at-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah illustrates a significant phase in the human settlement of the central Arabian plateau, when in the mid-18th century Ad-Dir'iyah became the capital of an independent Arab State and an important religious centre. At-Turaif District in Ad-Dir'iyah is an outstanding example of traditional human settlement in a desert environment. Criterion (vi): The At-Turaif District was the first historic centre with a unifying power in the Arabian Peninsula.