Al Faisaliah Centre

The Al Faisaliah Centre, completed in 2000 and designed by British architect Norman Foster, was Saudi Arabia's first true skyscraper. The 267-meter tower presented an unusual engineering challenge: the relatively brittle limestone bedrock beneath Riyadh required unconventional foundation solutions before construction could proceed. Its most distinctive feature is the golden glass globe near the apex, which houses a panoramic restaurant offering sweeping views over the Saudi capital. The tower combines a luxury hotel, office floors, and a retail mall in a single structure — and while it has since been surpassed in height by the Kingdom Centre next door, it remains a defining landmark in Riyadh's evolving skyline.