RIYADH: The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH) will work together to rehabilitate city centers in the Kingdom with a new look and historical identity striking a unique balance between modernity and rich tradition.

“Working to this end, Riyadh province is scheduled to witness the implementation of seven city center rehabilitation projects under the Kingdom’s city centers rehabilitation and development scheme to be undertaken by the MoMRA in collaboration with the SCTNH,” a spokesman at the commission’s headquarters here said on Tuesday.

“Attention toward modernization of city centers in different parts of the Kingdom stems from the state’s vision and its keenness to achieve a balance between modernity and preservation of a city’s authenticity besides enrooting architectural and historical identity of rehabilitated places, preserving authenticity as cultural landmarks reflecting the history of Saudi provinces forming their identity,” the official underlined.

Notably, these city center rehabilitation projects are the most important elements of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Caring for the Kingdom’s Cultural Heritage.

The city center rehabilitation projects in Riyadh province include Al-Diriyah City Center development project, Al-Kharj City Center development project, Tamir City Center development project, Al-Majm’a City Center development project, Hotat Sidair City Center development project and Shagra City Center development project.

Development projects also include work on a heritage road in Al-Kharj that leads to the city center.

According to the SCTNH, Al-Diriyah City Center project is one of the most significant for the development of city centers in the Kingdom in general, and in Riyadh in particular, as the heritage project includes development of Al-Diriyah neighborhoods like Turaif district, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, and Al Bijairi and Samhan.

According to SCTNH, restoration works are under way in the Turaif neighborhood and the project is expected to be completed in 2017.

In Al-Kharj, the Ministry of Finance received approval for expropriating the King Abdulaziz Palace’s neighboring lands with a radius of 70 meters to the northern, western and eastern sides of the mansion.

The project in Al-Majma include the historic center located in the southwest of the modern city, consisting of a number of heritage buildings including Monikh Mountain heritage observatory, Al-Rabia Palace, Ahmed Al-Sani historic school, Al-Asskar Palace and its utilities (Emirate Palace), King Abdul Aziz Mosque and King Abdul Aziz endowment and its utilities.

These city centers rehabilitation projects across the Kingdom include a number of cultural, social and economic programs, and activities including promoting, supporting and developing the handicraft industry which will make the city centers attractive destinations for tourists and investors.