Saudi Arabia To Build World's Biggest Covered Botanical Gardens

Saudi Arabia To Build World's Biggest Covered Botanical Gardens

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Saudi Arabia laid the foundation stone for the King Abdullah International Gardens (KAIG) in Riyadh, with plans for the facility set to include the world's largest botanical gardens.
KAIG, one of the largest environment projects in the world, will be spread over a total area of 2.5 million square meters along Riyadh-Jeddah Road.

Construction work of KAIG has started after the completion of the first phase of the project, which included leveling the site and fencing works. There will be six main sections at KAIG, including covered and open facilities. They are the Plants Gardens, the Valley Gardens, the Scientific Gardens, the Water Gardens, the International Gardens, and the Nature Gardens.

The covered facility, which will be the largest of its kind in the world, would have two giant botanical gardens spread over a total area of 100 thousand square meters. The crescent-shaped facility will be five times bigger than the world's largest geodesic domes at the Eden Project, Cornwall, in Britain (). Its structure and fabric are capable of adaptation to the various environments. The project will focus on local plant life in the Arabian Peninsula and is designed to appeal to families and tourists.

KAIG's open facility will have plants growing in the local environment, in addition to an open museum for plants, seeds bank, and rocky garden. There will also be research institutes, office accommodation, shops, restaurants, visitor facilities and a theater. The gardens will use recycled water and alternative energy supplies, exploiting solar and wind power as well as rainfall through collection tanks.