King Khalid Royal Reserve Arabic: محمية الملك خالد الملكية | |
Alt Name: | Thumamah Park Arabic: متنزه الثمامة |
Location: | Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia |
Nearest City: | Riyadh |
King Khalid Royal Reserve, formerly as al-Thumamah Wildlife Park and better known as al-Thumamah Park, is a nature reserve and a popular outdoor tourist attraction in the al-Thumamah region of northeastern Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.[1] It was a private farm owned by King Khalid and was partially turned into a public park after its nationalization by the Saudi government under King Fahd in 1983 following the former's death in 1982.[2] [3] [4] It was renamed as the King Khalid Royal Reserve in October 2019 after its recognition as a protected area through a royal decree by King Salman.[5]
Prior to its nationalization by the Saudi government in 1983, the park was a private farm owned by the late King Khalid. Following his death in 1982, the newly crowned monarch of Saudi Arabia, King Fahd issued a royal decree for nationalization of the property. The then governor of Riyadh Prince Salman tasked the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh to transform the farm into a public park. Around 1992, both the Al Thumamah Wildlife Park and the Thumamah National Park projects were merged under the responsibility of High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh.[6] In October 2019, King Salman issued a royal decree which officially declared the area as a natural reserve and was renamed as the King Khalid Royal Reserve.