We took a drive south in the direction of Jeddah looking for the popular Red Sand Dunes, but simply couldn’t find them with the sketchy directions we had. Along the Makkah Highway at a big police checkpoint, however, we came across this semi-circular monument on either side of the road, complete with four large towers, and an enormous sculpture on the divider, depicting the origins and history of Saudi Arabia.

Tim thinks perhaps this sculpture, situated on the divider strip in the middle of the highway, has flags representing all the tribes that were allied with Abdulaziz when he united Saudi Arabia.

Best to view this one in original size, too.

Detail, monument to Saudi history, posted earlier: