The main square of the old city of Riyadh, adjacent to the Grand Mosque and the Al-Hukm Palace, and surrounded by the traditional markets and covered souqs of the Qasr al-Hukm District. The square is the historic centre of public life — markets, proclamations, and gatherings — and remains one of the busiest pedestrian areas in old Riyadh.
Today the square functions as a transit point between the old city's markets and the mosque. The atmosphere is most vivid on Friday mornings before prayers, when the surrounding streets fill with people from all over the city. The adjacent Souq al-Zal is one of the better traditional markets in Riyadh.