TAIF — Shubra Palace is a prominent historical landmark and architectural treasure house in the city of Taif, which is the summer tourism destination of Saudi Arabia. The palace, built in 1905 and converted into a heritage museum in 1995, is characterized by the splendor and luxury of its design and the unique style of its traditional Islamic architecture. The great historical significance of this palace was attributed to King Abdul Aziz, founder of modern Saudi Arabia. The King used to live in this palace after the Kingdom's unification and it was in this palace where from he ruled the country during summer. The palace witnessed the birth of two sons of King Abdul Aziz — Prince Nawaf and Prince Talal. King Faisal also used the palace as the seat of his Cabinet during the summer. The palace was also the office of former Crown Prince Sultan before moving it to Al-Diyafah Palace in Khalidiya. Afterwards, the palace was converted into a cultural landmark. The palace is unique for its harmonious appearance, which is white with four floors and four uniform facades, interspersed with pillars made of stone. The wall of the palace roof resembles characteristics of Roman architecture, adding beauty to the impressive outlook of the palace. The Shubra Palace, which is one of the monuments in Taif, showcases to the visitors an architectural masterpiece and a historical landmark with lush green garden and trees surrounding it. Its windows are splendid with latticework and balconies are charming with topnotch interiors. Its columns, doors, windows and decorated ceilings bear the characteristics of Islamic architecture. In the main hall, there is a large wooden staircase, while the gates of the palace and its windows were made of carved wood with an artistic touch. The palace is located in one of the largest streets in the city, called Shubra Street. It contains relics that go back to the Islamic eras like ancient gemstones and seals, iron locks and old coins, ancient weapons like swords, shields, spears and guns and water distillation devices. The palace contains eight annexes to the building, some of which are dedicated to displaying artifacts and folk crafts, as well as a laboratory for the restoration of artifacts, a photographic laboratory, and a library with thousands of titles.
