One of the first buildings erected outside the walls of the old city,[1] it served as the official workplace and main residence of King Abdulaziz ibn Saud from 1938 until his death in 1953.

The palace was built by King Abdulaziz outside the walled town of Riyadh, being the first major expansion of the city in the twentieth century.

[7] In 1939 electricity, lighting, fans, limited air-conditioning, a central water supply and lavatories were added by the Aramco technicians to the palace.

[4] During the reign of King Abdulaziz Murabba Palace witnessed many official visits and sign of various agreements.

[11] A lift was installed into the Murabba Palace in the late 1940s when the king had difficulty in climbing the stairs due to advanced arthritis.

[13] The Murabba palace is situated two kilometers north of the old city of Riyadh, and its total area was over 16 hectares.

[4] The upper floor of the building used for court of the king included audience hall, offices of administrative affairs, communications and guest chambers.

[4] It also reflects the general characteristics of Najd's urban pattern, namely solid masses, covered streets, and the integration of courtyards.

[4] A development project was initiated by the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities in 1999 to renovate the Murabba palace.

[6][23] In the current usage, the ground floor includes the guards' room and stores for food, coffee, wood and other materials needed for cooking.

[8] One of the dignitaries welcomed at the Murabba Palace was General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping who visited Saudi Arabia in January 2016.