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Riyadh Water Tower
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Riyadh Water Tower is a 61-meter conical water tower in the al-Futah neighborhood of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It stands within al-Watan Park in the King Abdulaziz Historical Center. Designed by Swedish architect Sune Lindström and modeled after a water tower in Örebro, Sweden, it was the tallest structure in the country when it opened in 1971.
Don't miss
- Conical shape modeled after the Svampen water tower in Örebro, Sweden
- Two tanks: a main one holding 12,000 cubic meters of water and a smaller emergency tank of 350 cubic meters
- Located within al-Watan Park in the King Abdulaziz Historical Center
- Khazan Street in Riyadh is named after the tower
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit Riyadh Water Tower
You can see Riyadh Water Tower on your own. A tour is worth it for the story behind it, for transport, or for combining nearby sights into one day.
Cheapest way inEdge of The World Riyadh Transfer in an Air-conditioned Car5★ · 44 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$22 per personSee dates →
Best full dayEdge of the World Riyadh Tour with Camel Ride, Bat Cave & Dinner4.9★ · 1,445 travelers8-9 hoursFree cancellationFrom$60 per personSee dates →
Private & flexiblePremier Private Edge of The World Tour in Riyadh: Sunrise/Sunset5★ · 23 travelers5-7 hoursFree cancellationFrom$349 per personSee dates →Know before you go
- The tower is in the al-Futah neighborhood, inside al-Watan Park at the King Abdulaziz Historical Center.
- It was the tallest structure in Saudi Arabia when it opened in 1971.
A bit of history
In the 1960s and 1970s, Riyadh lacked a water-supply network for its growing population. King Faisal's government tasked the agriculture ministry with building a water tower. Swedish architect Sune Lindström, working for the engineering company Vattenbyggnadsbyrån, designed it in 1969. The site was chosen on the ruins of a demolished casino near the Murabba Palace compound. The tower was repainted in 1997 for the centenary of the 1902 Battle of Riyadh.
Common questions
Who designed the Riyadh Water Tower?
Swedish architect Sune Lindström designed it, working for the engineering company Vattenbyggnadsbyrån.
What is the tower's local name?
Locally it is known as Burj al-Khazzaan or simply al-Khazzaan, meaning 'the reservoir tower' or 'the reservoir'.
Why was the tower built?
It was built to supply water to neighborhoods like al-Malazz, Manfuhah, and Shumaisi during Riyadh's rapid expansion in the 1960s and 1970s.
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