Kaf Palace

General information

Ibn Shaalan Palace, known as the historic Kaf Palace, is located on a hill northeast of Kaf village in Al Qurayyat, near Al-Saidi Castle. The construction of Kaf Palace began during the reign of Nawaf bin Nouri Al Shaalan, the ruler of the region at the time, and lasted for two years until 1338 AH. On its main gate, there is a historical document of its construction details. It is a square military fortress built on a medium altitude hill, covering an area of about 2700 square meters. The palace is surrounded by four observation towers on its corners, each tower consisting of two parts: the lower has a cylindrical design and is built of finely textured stone, while the upper is conical and is built of mud. Kaf palace includes several buildings within its walls, such as the hospitality building, the ruling council building, the palace mosque, and a women’s residence, which has a private courtyard around which four rooms are distributed. It also includes warehouses, kitchens, a well and a prison as well as two entrances: a main entrance on the southern side and a side one on the eastern facade.In 1344 AH, His Majesty King Abdulaziz - may God rest his soul - received the palace, then it became the seat of Saudi rule in the region in 1357 AH.