Geographical position
Perhaps many have heard the name of the city of Riyadh, but they don’t know where it is located and what country it is the capital of. It turns out that this is the main city of the kingdom and the center of the administrative district of the same name.
Geographical position
Riyadh is located in South-West Asia and occupies most Arabian Peninsula. The area of the city is 1554 square meters. km. It is located in the fertile valley of Wadi Hanifa, and is surrounded by endless desert sands. Perhaps that is why the name Riyadh means “Gardens” in Arabic.
If you want to find Riyadh on the map, then its geographical coordinates are: 24°39′00″ N. w. 46°42′36″ E. d. The capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, can be seen in the photo below.
At the end of 2014, about 6.5 million people lived in Riyadh. Most of the residents are Arabs, there are Afro-Asians and other nationalities. The main religion professed by the residents is Islam.
City `s history
In ancient times, tribes of Arab nomads lived on the territory of modern Riyadh. Until the 18th century, it was no different and a modest settlement. But with the increase in the Arab goods market, as well as with the discovery of oil deposits in these places, the city gradually began to revive and grow.
In 1902, Riyadh was captured by the troops of Emir Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud. In 1927, Arab emirs organized the states of Najd and Hijaz. Later, as a result of unification, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formed with its capital - the city of Riyadh. From that time until today, the country has been ruled by hereditary emirs from the Saudi family.
Climatic conditions of Riyadh
The city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has a desert tropical climate. This is one of the hottest places on the entire globe. The climate here is very dry: only about 100 mm of precipitation falls per year, which occurs in winter and early spring. In winter the average temperature is +14.4°C, and in summer +36.6°C. The most heat+52°C was recorded here, and the lowest was +1°C.
Riyadh - attractions and entertainment
In the main city of Saudi Arabia there is a university and a technical institute, a military academy and many others that will be interesting for many tourists to visit:
- in Riyadh (Burj Al Mamlaka) is an ultra-modern skyscraper made of metal and glass, which is visible from anywhere in the city. The building is a unique symbol of the undeniable power of the royal dynasty, since the owner of this colossal structure is ruling family Saudi Arabia. The top looks like an inverted arch with a bridge running over it. From here you can enjoy stunning views of Riyadh and its surroundings. The royal center houses offices and apartments, a hotel and a shopping center, as well as many first-class restaurants.
- Abdul Aziz Historical Center located near the old town. Its complex includes the Murabba Palace - the former residence of the king - which now houses a museum. The palace is surrounded by a beautiful park, whose shady, cozy alleys invite both city residents and its guests to relax in the coolness. In addition, the center includes Al-Madi, made of red brick, and the minaret has a two-tier structure similar to a medieval tower.
- attract horse lovers. Purebred Arabian horses are known throughout the world for their beauty, grace and speed. These elite animals receive careful care appropriate to their status. Horses from the royal stables participate in horse racing, which is considered a noble activity among the Arab nobility.
- - This is an iconic ancient building, which is a witness to ancient times. The fortress was designed in accordance with all the canons of fortification architecture and is a regular quadrangle of light walls with round towers at the corners. The windows are small, which was done to reduce the likelihood of shells hitting the building. Today it houses a museum with exhibits illustrating the history of the city of Riyadh.
- Al-Faisaly Tower is in business center Riyadh. The construction of this third tallest building in Saudi Arabia was completed in 2000. Its design is interesting: four curved beams connect at the top, and at this point there is a huge ball of glass. Inside there is a chic restaurant with panoramic views of the entire city.
- considered the most beautiful in the city. Amazing landscape design with floral carpets attracts both adults and children here. Colorful laser shows are organized in the evenings over the lake, located in the center of the park.
- Active. One of the best activities for tourists in Riyadh is quad biking in the desert.
- Night life. For travelers who prefer to have fun in the evening, bars, restaurants and discos are open in Riyadh, most of which are located on hotel premises and are intended only for tourists.
Hotels and restaurants
Not long ago, Riyadh began to position itself as a tourist city. Many establishments have appeared here, the best of which are considered to be:
Shopping in Riyadh
While in this exotic city, be sure to shop at the following shopping establishments in Riyadh:
- - This is a huge store that you can visit with your children; there is a playground for them. The mall offers products from many famous brands.
- Riyadh Gallery Mall– This shopping center can be visited by families or only women. This perfect place not only for shopping, but also for relaxation.
- Panorama Mall– there are many designer shops here, and in numerous cafes you can relax after.
Helpful information for tourists
If, while staying in Saudi Arabia, tourists have any problems with local authorities, then they need to contact the Russian Embassy located in Riyadh at the address: Saudi Arabia, P.O.Box 94308 Riyadh 11693 Russian Embassy, Al-Wasiti str., Rahmania , bld. 13.
Riyadh Transport
The city has a developed transport infrastructure. Tourists usually arrive in the country by plane. King Khaled International is located 35 km from Riyadh. Flights from German, British, Turkish and some other airlines are accepted here. From King Khaled Airport you can easily reach any part of Saudi Arabia. You can get from the airport to the city in 30 minutes.
It is simply impossible to move around the city without a car, since there are no sidewalks here. Therefore, the best city taxi in Riyadh is a taxi. Many tourists order a limousine from the hotel if such a service is provided there. Local residents move around the city exclusively in private cars.
Riyadh is connected to other cities and highways. The bus from Jordan to Riyadh takes 24 hours. And the distance of 876 km between Riyadh and the bus will cover in about 8.5 hours.
Before starting their trip to Saudi Arabia, we invite tourists to get to know Riyadh better: description, photos, where it is located, interesting sights, and also listen to useful tips for staying in one of the attractive eastern capitals. The main city of Saudi Arabia and the administrative territory of Najd is conveniently located almost in the center of the Arabian Peninsula - in the Wadi Hanifa valley.
soren2013 / flickr.com
The fertile zone is surrounded by desert for many kilometers, which did not prevent the fortified city with clay buildings, narrow and closely built streets from literally turning into one of the most beautiful Middle Eastern capitals in just half a century. The financial basis for this transformation was the huge oil deposits discovered in the depths of the country.
Story
According to research, interest in the location of the capital of the Saudi state has been observed for 4 thousand years. The main reason lies in the availability of fertile land and water, which cannot be called usual for the Arabian Peninsula. During the Umayyad Caliphate, the area was decorated with huge areas of gardens and many canals.
The city, then called Hajr, was repeatedly attacked and destroyed by the warring Tasm and Jadis tribes. For protection, palaces and watchtowers were erected, of which only ruins remain today. Due to the difficult and turbulent situation around the settlement, the regional center was moved, which led to the disintegration of Hajra into separate villages and long-term decline.
With the new name Riyadh, which is interpreted as “a place with many trees and gardens,” the city was reborn. Mentions of this appeared in the 17th century. The wall erected at that time marked the city boundaries, which have survived to this day in the form of remains that define the historical center.
Uwe Braun / flickr.com
In the 19th century Imam Turki ibn Abdala chose Riyadh as the capital of the Saudi state. Until the middle of the twentieth century. The usual city picture was represented by narrow streets with buildings made of samam. After the discovery of oil reserves, the capital changed before our eyes not only in architectural terms, but also in the number of residents, the number of which has already grown 43 times and amounts to more than 6 million people.
Modernity
Today, Riyadh of Saudi Arabia is a beautiful modern metropolis with rows of skyscrapers, hotels, shopping centers, new mosques, it is a political and administrative, commercial and financial center.
The pride of the residents is considered to be the recently built higher educational institutions, which train specialists in various fields. Young people even from neighboring countries come to study. Among the universities are State University, Military Academy, Islamic University, Higher Technical Institute, etc.
soren2013 / flickr.com
A fifth of all SA industrial enterprises are concentrated in the capital. Industrial facilities include oil refineries, food processing plants, cement production, etc.
The location of parks and squares was given Special attention, which once again made it possible to confirm the correctness of the chosen name.
Climate and weather
Considering where and at what latitude Riyadh is located, one can predict a hot and fairly dry climate. The hottest days are in July, when the thermometer continuously shows +36 and even higher, up to +52 degrees. In winter, +13-14 degrees are consistently observed, the minimum for a long-term period was recorded at +1.
Uwe Braun / flickr.com
The rainy season occurs in the winter and spring months with precipitation up to 10 mm. Tourists are recommended to visit the garden city in early autumn or in the first months of spring when the temperature is most comfortable.
It is worth considering that at night there are often cold winds, and on some days there are sandstorms, the source of which is in the east and is called the Small Nefud desert.
How to get there
When you locate Riyadh on the map, you can see that the city is geographically quite isolated. However, this did not prevent the capital from becoming the country's largest transport hub.
By rail
The railway line connects the Persian Gulf port of Al-Dammam with Riyadh. The distance between the extreme points is almost 450 km.
The journey takes about 4.5 hours. The railway stations of four stations, including Abqaiq and Al-Hofuf, are similar to each other, as they were designed by one person, the architect Lucio Barbera.
By road
The length of roads is 153.5 thousand km, a third of which are paved.
The capital of SA can be easily reached by car from Mecca or Jeddah, which are located near the Red Sea, from Hofuf, located near the shores of the Persian Gulf.
soren2013 / flickr.com
An important feature of Riyadh's highways is the road surface, the unique formula of which ensures low levels of heat reflection. This contributes to less heating of air flows over the road, which means greater comfort of movement in the car interior.
By plane
There are 208 airports on the territory of the state, 3 of which are international, the rest provide domestic transportation. Only 73 airports have concrete runways.
The flight to Riyadh will end at King Khalid Airport, which is located 36 km from the capital. Four terminals offer passengers the services of hotels, restaurants, DutyFree stores, exchange offices, banks, and first aid stations. The parking lot is designed for 11.5 thousand cars.
You can purchase plane or train tickets using the portal.
The capital city welcomes you with many upscale hotels that meet the highest standards.
Uwe Braun / flickr.com
If you want to stay in conditions with minimal comfort, you can use economy class housing at a price of $20/day. Those who like to go beyond financial conventions should prepare at least $500/night.
The most popular among visitors is the RiyadhMarriott hotel in the center of the capital with a convenient location near the Exhibition Center and the Diplomatic Quarter. A room with all the necessary conditions for living will cost in the range of $50-250/day.
You can view suitable accommodation options and book a room in advance using the portal.
Video: travel notes from Riyadh.
Sights of the capital
Riyadh cannot but please you with its sights, the inspection of which will bring indelible impressions and vivid memories for many years:
- The royal center, made of metal and glass, is visible from literally every corner. The ultra-modern structure is the property of the royal family and the embodiment of the power of the ruling dynasty. Travelers call the building the eye of a needle, the lighter, the tower of Sauron because of the interesting opening that resembles an inverted arch. The upper border of the Burj Al Mamlak skyscraper is a bridge from which fantastically beautiful views open up.
- Masmak Fortress is one of the iconic historical buildings. Date of construction: 1865. The design of the building was based on the canons of construction of fortifications. The quadrangular Masmak Fort is made of light brown material with sand. In the corners there are round towers with a crown of pointed battlements. Small windows are salvation from enemy shells. Today the fort invites you to view museum exhibitions dedicated to the history of the country and the capital.
- Murabba Palace was built over 9 years (1936-1945) by order of King Abdul Aziz. In the 50s of the last century, after the completion of the functions of the royal residence, the palace ceased to be in demand, which negatively affected its appearance. After some time, the fortress was restored, a historical center was founded, a park area was developed nearby, and new buildings were added. The project cost $180 million. Visits to the palace premises have been open since 1999.
- The National Museum of Saudi Arabia is located in the royal historical center. The author of the building was Raymond Moriyama, an architect from Canada. Interestingly, the western façade is shaped like a crescent, which points in the direction of Mecca. Tourists will be able to visit 8 halls, which are large-scale thematic exhibitions, rather than a demonstration of individual exhibits.
- Riyadh is called the city of mosques. Over 2,410 temples for Muslims have been built on its territory. The number of daily visitors reaches 1.5 million people. One of the most famous mosques, Al Madi, is located next to the National Museum. The walls are made of red brick and are not plastered. The two-tier building has a minaret and a prayer hall. The decoration is an unpretentious pattern.
- Nahda Park is classified as a sports recreation area with a width of 80 m and a length of 1.72 km. On its territory there are grounds for playing basketball, volleyball, tennis, jogging paths have been prepared, alleys have been laid out for leisurely walks, areas have been allocated for skiing and cycling, and there are areas for children's games and for the disabled. Entrance to Nahda Park is free. Vacationers can enjoy cozy cafes, Internet access, and a mini-bazaar.
- The Riyadh Zoo, founded in 1957, is the largest in the country. At first, animals given as gifts to the rulers of the country were cared for here, and later the area was completely reconstructed. The zoo occupied 23 hectares. The enclosures contain about 1.5 thousand animals of 45 species. If you want to take a walk around the zoo with your child, you should take into account some rules: only one of the parents can bring the baby, men - on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, women - on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday.
You can order a tour of the places you like using websites
Writing about Avedon is difficult. The question immediately arises - what kind of Avedon should we talk about: about a portrait painter or about a fashion photographer, about his commercial work or about his social photo? Even among the recognized classics of the twentieth century, he stands out for his rare ability to work successfully in completely different genres, combine commercial shooting and author's projects. And if other masters can often be easily classified into the framework of a certain style, then Richard Avedon is not so easy to classify.
From the series "In Memory of the Late Mr. & Mrs. Comfort", 1995
The beginning of the journey and the revolution in advertising
You can start with a biography: at the age of 19, Richard Avedon undergoes an alternative military service in the photo department navy USA - mainly rents seamen for documents. “I must have photographed a hundred thousand puzzled faces before I realized I was becoming a photographer.” And after the service, in 1945, the young man went to study at the “Design Laboratory” (“ The Design Laboratory ") - the legendary school of designer Alexey Brodovich, which in those years was, perhaps, the most advanced educational institution, a source of talent for American photographers and illustrators. The head of the school, Russian emigrant Alexey Brodovich, in every possible way pushed his students to experiment and think outside the box. For example, this is known beautiful phrase Brodovich: "If you look into the camera and see something you’ve already seen once, don’t press the shutter.”
Brodovich was also the art director of Harper's Bazaar magazine, and Avedon soon began shooting for the magazine. Twenty years of work for the prestigious Harper's Bazaar was the first stage of Avedon's long career.
Richard Avedon and Fred Astaire, 1957
It must be said that in those post-war years, the templates established by the pioneers of the genre in the 20s and 30s were still very popular in fashion photography. The standards set by Steichen, Horst and other masters of studio photography were considered the standard to follow, and therefore model shooting was almost always carried out in the studio. The photographer carefully set the light, thought through the frame to the smallest detail, and the models stood statically in front of the camera, usually with a calm expression. , even with a distant facial expression. The reason for this style was also the social aspect: fashion magazines then continued to be considered an attribute of high society, people of wealth, and therefore the image of a “beautiful lady” was embodied in the modeling shoot - an image full of grace and dignity, but at the same time not expressing any bright emotions .The photographers shot this impeccable static image either in the luxurious surroundings of expensive interiors or in the laconic settings of photo studios.
But fashion photography gradually became more democratic, it began to go beyond the studios, gaining dynamics and movement. Back in the 1930s, former sports reporter Martin Munkácsy began filming his models outdoors, in motion; Briton Norman Parkinson filmed entire plot scenes that already implied some kind of further development plot and “behind the scenes” story.
A phrase from Parkinson’s memoirs is indicative: “ In the photographs of Steichen, Beaton and other photographers, women looked like sophisticated sissies. I wanted women in my photographs to drive a car, go shopping, babysit children, play with dogs.”
And Richard Avedon continued this quiet revolution with his filmingin the world of fashion photography, started by Munkácsy and Parkinson. (It must be said that he openly recognized Munkacsi’s influence and even filmed a kind of “tribute”, a tribute to the Hungarian master - his version famous photograph Munkácsy with a girl jumping over puddles). The noble equanimity of the models of the 30s was replaced by a new style in which there was movement, there was open emotion and spontaneity - these are the key words that can describe Avedon’s innovation. In his photographs, the models no longer look like cold, static mannequins - they sincerely enjoy life , they run somewhere, dance, laugh and do not hide their emotions. Such naturalness and joy of being looked very nice, and such advertising worked effectively - because viewers immediately wanted to be transported there, to this attractive reality shown by the photographer.
Cardin coat, 1957
New Dior collection, 1947
Dior dress, 1955
Shooting for Dior, Paris, 1956
advertisement for the Lanvin-Castillo dress, 1956
Paris, 1951
advertising hats Paulette, 1948
advertisement for Balenciaga hats, 1955
And largely thanks to Avedon, “glossy” photography began to acquire naturalness, modeling shoots began to resemble a reportage photograph, a scene from everyday life. Fashion photography moved from luxurious studio interiors to the streets, became more democratic, and now it was easier for middle-class girls to imagine themselves in the shoes of a model.
Avedon also continued to film in the studio - but his studio filming was often full of dynamics. For some time, the photographer’s signature technique was the slight blurring of models shot in motion - he completely consciously did not “freeze” the movement with short shutter speeds, and this also helped make the photograph more lively and spontaneous. Avedon's models recall his ability to create a comfortable atmosphere for shooting - for example, in the studio, he invited the models to choose the background music themselves.
hat from "Paulette", 1949
Mia Farrow, 1966
Kimberly dress, 1967
backstage filming
Evening dress Macrini, 1961
Twiggy, 1968
His attentive attitude towards models is evidenced by his own words: “I grew up in a house full of women. I saw how important clothes were for them, their appearance and beauty - and how they try not to advertise it. As a photographer, I tried to overcome this barrier and show in the photo not only the dress, but also what it means for a woman to wear such a dress.”
Another “trump card” of Avedon was the ability to mix seemingly incongruous things, to play on contrasts - as in that photograph where the famous model Dovima in a luxurious evening dress poses among several ... elephants. Nowadays, perhaps such a photograph is no longer too surprising a viewer accustomed to everything, but in those years it never occurred to anyone to film something like that. But Avedon decided to combine in one frame a fragile model and huge elephants, the thin silk of her dress with the wrinkled skin of animals - and from this contrast a truly epoch-making photograph was born - since then, many photographers, with varying degrees of success, have been trying to play on such contrasts. And himself Avedon used similar contrasts more than once - for example, in the photo where Nastassja Kinski is hugged by a boa constrictor or in the famous series " In Memory of the Late Mr. and Mrs. Comfort ", where model Nadja Auermann poses with a skeleton.
evening dress from Dior, 1955
Nastassja Kinski with a snake, 1981
Starting in the 70s, Avedon was less likely to do modeling shoots, devoting more time and effort to his other projects. However, he did not leave the business and still remained one of the most sought-after photographers in this field. Here, for dessert, are a few more shots from different years:
Shooting for Dior at the Eiffel Tower, 1950
Jean Shrimpton, 1965
Nadja Auermann and Kristen McMenamy, 1995
Scarf from Versace
1995
The text was written for educational project fujifilmru
Continuation of Avedon as a portrait painter -
Once upon a time, once in childhood, being fascinated by the world of fashion and photography, he persuaded his friends to call a modeling agency and arrange a photo shoot; he was then interested in models such as Twiggy, Veruschka, whom he simply admired. But in this childhood adventure, his girlfriends had to introduce themselves as none other than the secretaries of the photographer Richard Avedon, an iconic photographer not only in the world of fashion photography, but also in the world of photography in general. It is no coincidence that Richard Avedon, according to the magazine "Popular Photographers", became the best photographer twentieth century.
In photography, Richard Avedon has always been interested in portraiture. However, both in photography and in painting, the portrait is the most alluring and at the same time the most complex genre. After all, people most often like to look at people. But also to convey the inner world of a person, his state, emotions, thoughts in this moment, a moment frozen in a portrait is very difficult. Richard Avedon succeeded brilliantly; with his camera he captured both famous people from the world of art: fashion, cinema, pop, and from the world of politics. Richard Avedon has photographed politicians from Eisenhower to Hillary Clinton. Among his photographic works you can find portraits of artists Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe look at us from his portraits.
To some extent, some will think, Richard Avedon was lucky; he lived and worked in an era when black and white film still dominated the world. Now, in world XXI century, accustomed to color images, we very often admire black and white photographs. But in Richard Avedon’s photographs, both color and black and white, there is one peculiarity - you can feel the master’s hand and talent in them.
Richard Avedon was born in New York on May 15, 1923, into a fairly wealthy Jewish family. His ancestors emigrated to America from Russia at the end of the 19th century.
Countess Vera Gottlieb Anna von Lehndorff or simply Model Veruschka
As a child, Richard was interested in poetry: he participated in the release school newspaper, won a poetry competition among New York schoolchildren. He was also interested in Russian literature and poetry. Having matured, Richard Avedon begins to become interested in photography, but enters the Faculty of Philosophy at Columbia University, which he soon leaves. Richard Avedon understands that photography should become his life's work. But after leaving the university, Richard first served in the army, in the Marine Corps, his service occurred during the Second World War, and only after serving, in 1944, he began to actively engage in photography. He works as an advertising photographer and is building his own portfolio.
Elizabeth Taylor and model Twiggy
And in the end, Richard Avedon shows his portfolio to the art director of the fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar, Alexey Brodovich, a designer and sculptor. They begin collaborating together, and Richard also learns skills from Brodovich along the way.
Since 1946, he has worked for Harper's Bazaar magazine and opened his own photo studio. From 1966 to 1990 he worked as a staff photographer at Vogue. Since 1992, he has been collaborating with The New Yorker weekly.
Richard Avedon's photographs were also published in albums. Thus, the album “Avedon: The Sixties” included photographs of participants in the Anti-War Movement, photographs of the Beatles,
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