Deera Square

Deera Square is a public space located close to Masmak fort. It is locally known as Al-Safaa Square or Justice Square. Amongst westerners, Deera Square is also famous as the chop chop square. Explore the rich history of Riyadh and roam around its vibrant markets full of locally crafted goods.

On a general day, the square is fairly lively and close to several tourist attractions in Riyadh, such as the Masmak Fort, King Abdullah park, Murabba Historical Palace, Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque, Souq Al Zal, and many more. It is widely known as the official public execution square in Riyadh. The police carried on with public executions right in the middle of the square. These executions were public events wherein the police cleared the street to behead those sentenced to capital punishment by the state. After the decapitation, the head was sewn back into the body. The body was then wrapped and taken away for the last rituals. These executions though not uncommon, were a rare sighting.