Al Rawdah (Riyadh)
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Al-Rawdah
حي الروضة | |
|---|---|
 Al Rawdah, 2024 | |
 Interactive map of Al-Rawdah | |
| Coordinates: 24°44′5″N 46°46′4″E / 24.73472°N 46.76778°E | |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| City | Riyadh |
| Government | |
| • Body | Al Rawdah Sub-Municipality |
| Language | |
| • Official | Arabic |
Al-Rawdah (Arabic: الروضة, lit. 'the meadow') is a residential neighborhood in eastern Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,[1][2][3] and the seat of the homonymous sub-municipality of al-Rawdah.[4] located east of King Abdullah District and south of al-Quds. The district emerged in the 1970s and is named after the singular form of the Arabic word Riyadh.
The neighborhood is situated north of al-Rayyan, east of King Abdullah District, south of al-Quds and west of al-Andalus. It covers an area of 8.71 square kilometer.
Al-Rawdah was famous in the 1990s for the Dog's Bollocks nightclub which was an extension of the Riyadh Rugby Football Club and located underneath a residential compound in the suburb of Al-Rawdah. The nightclub was open to the rugby club members after Monday night training and to nightclub members on Wednesday nights. It was one of the largest expat regular nightclubs at this time. Home brew beer and "Sidiqui" (a form of arak) spirit mixes were available for sale.
During 1996-1997, the rugby club half back was responsible for brewing the beer that was served on the nights it was open. The bar was staffed by indentured Filipino staff who maintained the gardens in the compound. Reportedly the compound was owned by a Major in the Saudi military and hence it did not receive much scrutiny or enforecement against the strict no alcohol laws of the Kingdom.
After large rugby tournaments, the nightclub was also open to the visiting teams and much revelry was had, but often word was spread to Kingdom nationals who would try and access the nightclub but there entry was declined.
