You Are Here Ornament – Riyadh

The You Are Here Ornament Riyadh is another unreleased prototype that never made it to stores, making it an exceptionally rare piece – a true unicorn for Starbucks collectors. A limited number of samples were nevertheless produced, and this particular one comes from a private collection and is currently available for sale. That gives collectors a rare chance to acquire a genuinely unusual Starbucks item that was part of the design process but never became an official retail release.

Riyadh has grown from a historic oasis settlement in central Arabia into the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. Its modern skyline developed rapidly during the 20th and 21st centuries, but older districts and landmarks still preserve important parts of the city’s history. That contrast between traditional architecture and modern towers is especially visible in this prototype.

Here are some of the landmarks and symbols featured in the design:

– The Kingdom Centre is one of Riyadh’s most recognizable modern landmarks. Its distinctive tower is famous for the large opening near the top, crossed by the Sky Bridge, which offers panoramic views over the city. The building has become one of the defining features of Riyadh’s modern skyline.

– The Al Faisaliah Tower is another major skyscraper associated with the city. Completed around the turn of the millennium, it is especially recognizable for the glass sphere near its top. Together with the Kingdom Centre, it helped establish the modern architectural image of Riyadh.

– The historic Al Masmak Palace connects the design with an older side of Riyadh. The fortress played an important role in the events surrounding King Abdulaziz’s recapture of Riyadh in 1902 and later became a museum dedicated to the city’s and kingdom’s history. Its thick walls, towers, and traditional Najdi architecture provide a strong contrast to the skyscrapers elsewhere on the ornament.

– The cow points to the agricultural side of the Riyadh region. Cattle farming and dairy production have become important parts of Saudi Arabia’s modern food industry, particularly around central agricultural areas where large-scale farms use irrigation and controlled environments to operate in the desert climate. Its inclusion adds a less obvious but still relevant reference to life and food production around Riyadh.

– The palm trees reflect Riyadh’s origins as an oasis settlement. Date palms have long been closely connected with agriculture and daily life across central Arabia, providing both food and shade in an otherwise arid environment.

– The stylized Riyadh skyline combines the city’s modern towers with lower traditional buildings, capturing the contrast that defines much of the Saudi capital today. Rapid development has transformed Riyadh dramatically, yet historic landmarks and older neighborhoods remain an important part of the city’s identity.