VIRTUAL ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

Sitting atop the limestone plateau, At-Turaif towers above the fertile valley of Wadi Hanifah and the historic city of Diriyah, birthplace of the first Saudi State. At-Turaif district was established in the 18th Century by Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed, the second Imam of the first Saudi state, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is has played a pivotal role in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Once the Royal District, At-Turaif has been at the center of events that have formed the bedrock of Saudi history and identity, it is monument to the golden-age of the first Saudi state, whose symbolism continues to shape a culture and a nation. At-Turaif, however, is still an active archaeological site, its story far from over. Archaeologists, conservators, and historians uncover new layers of the past and new stories alongside them. At-Turaif has once again risen from its ruins to become a symbol of Saudi National identity, it is a key heritage tourism location for national and international audiences alike. As its secrets are uncovered it increasingly tells a vision of the future as well as a story of the past. This paper seeks to explore this duality, at once historic site and future as place, we investigate the mechanisms by which heritage shapes our conception of the past whilst forming a framework of identity and understanding by which we may embrace the future.