Qatar Tourism Authority (original) (raw)
Zubara Fort
Description
Al-Zubarah fort serves as a pristine example of a typical Arab fort built using the traditional Qatari technique. The Coast Guard used the sturdy fort as a station until the mid 1980s when it was turned into a museum to display findings uncovered in the nearby Al-Zubarah archeological area.
H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Qassim Al Thani built the fort in 1938 on the ruins of an older castle that had been destroyed.
It was constructed with high, thick walls that would last for countless decades and would serve to protect those inside. The fort is a regular square courtyard with massive walls on each side. Three of the corners have large circular towers topped with Qatari-style battlements. The fourth corner contains a striking rectangular tower with traditional triangular-based ledges with slits called machicolations that - in the event of an attack - were used to shoot at enemies.
The one-meter-thick walls strengthened the defensive capabilities of the fort, and helped isolate the heat and keep the rooms cool. The walls were built by joining overlapping raw pieces of coral rock and limestone with a mud mortar, then covering it with a gypsum-based plaster. The roof was finished with a layer of compressed mud, protecting the fort from the blazing sun during the hot seasons.
Eight rooms on the ground floor, which were originally used to accommodate soldiers, now house exhibitions of exquisite pottery and archaeological findings such as coins from the neighboring Al-Zubarah town. The ground floor also features “iwan” which are small porticos overlooking the courtyard through square arcades. In the courtyard, take a peek under the four-pillar canopy down the 15-meter-deep well that served as a reservoir for the soldiers.
A visit to the fort would not be complete without climbing one of the external staircases in the courtyard to the second floor. This level consists of a wide promenade and a few rooms tucked inside the corner towers. The walls of these rooms feature groups of gunfire holes that are angled in different directions so the soldiers could shoot enemies who were attacking from all sides. Wooden rung stairs that are still in the towers enabled the men to climb up to the roof and patrol the surrounding area with a clear view.
This fort, and the town in which it sits, are extraordinarily important pieces in the early development of Qatar, and ones that shouldn’t be missed.
Planning a visit
The Al-Zubarah fort is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed on Friday mornings. Look for Khayal, the guard at the small house next to the fort. He will be happy to let you in to explore the fort on your own. There is no admission fee.
UTM coordinates N 25° 58' 34'' E 51° 02' 43''
Directions
Al-Zubarah fort is located at the northwestern coast of Qatar, 107 km from Doha. Take the North Road to Al-Khor for approximately 50 km and make a U-turn at the Zubarah sign. Take the first secondary road on your right. Keep going straight until you see the fort on your right. The road is fully paved all the way to the fort.
Al Shagab Fort
Located on the northwest part of the country, approximately 110 km from Doha, Al Thugab Fort is rectangular with four towers – a common design for desert forts erected between the 17th and 19th centuries.
Al Rekaya Fort
Restored in 1988, Al Rakiyat Fort was constructed sometime during the 17th and 19th centuries. Made of mud and stone, this fort, as with many others in Qatar, is shaped as a rectangle with four corner towers. It’s located on the northwest part of the country, two kilometers away from Al Shagab Fort.
Al Koot Fort
Description
Deep in the heart of the city of Doha stands Al-Koot fort. Built in 1927 by Sheikh Abdullah bin Qassim Al-Thani, who governed Qatar between 1913 and 1949, the fort was created to protect the nearby Souq Waqif from would-be thieves. The courtyard mosque is one of the massive fort’s most interesting features, mostly due to what it is missing: walls and a roof.
Since the mosque was often used by prisoners, its plan had to be modified so guards could keep a watchful eye on them, even during prayers. Despite the lack of physical structure, the “mehrab” still faces the “Kaaba” in Mecca.
Al-Koot fort has a square courtyard surrounded on all sides by a high wall. Circular towers are found in three corners and a rectangular one in the fourth. The towers are crowned with traditional Qatari-style battlements and triangular-based ledges with slits called machicolations that guards used to shoot at enemies.
Around the courtyard, a number of doors lead to prison cells. One significantly larger door leads to a high-security, windowless cell that was reserved for the most dangerous criminals.
The north and south sides of the fort have wide “iwan”, which are porticos overlooking the courtyard through square arcades. In the southern portico there is a deep well that was used as a water supply for cleaning.
External stairs on the corners of the courtyard lead to the first floor which consists of a wide promenade. The walls are peppered with groups of gunfire holes, each one angled in a different direction so that soldiers could shoot at enemies attacking from any side.
Planning a visit
The Al-Koot fort is open by appointment. To schedule a visit, call 4442 4143. Do not miss a visit to Souq Waqif, where you can find anything and everything. It is located behind Al-Koot fort, on Grand Hammad Street.
UTM coordinates N 25° 17' 12.47" E 51° 31' 52"
Directions
The Al-Koot fort is located in the center of Doha, not far from Al-Corniche and Waqif souq.
Barzan Towers
Description
Stretching into the Arabian sky, the Barzan towers loom above the surrounding landscape and provide the perfect place to gaze out to sea. They have been used as a platform to keep a watchful eye on pearl divers, as a look-out for approaching ships and as an observatory to scrutinise the moon’s phases.
The name Barzan comes from the Arabic for “high place,” quite appropriate for towers measuring 16 meters in height. Built in 1910 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al-Thani, they are located at the southern side of the defensive system established in the late 19th/early 20th century to protect the “raudah,” the valley where precious rainwater collects from adjacent higher ground. They link with two other fortified buildings towards the west and another tower towards the north.
Keeping track of the moon was essential. The “Hejry” calendar which is used in Islamic countries is based on the moon’s phases, with each month starting when the crescent appears after the new moon. Ramadan is the most important of these months, marking the time when the Holy Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him). To ensure accuracy, two observers would climb to the top of the towers, viewing the new moon and agreeing when the crescent appeared.
The towers were built for strength. The walls are one meter thick at the base and further strengthened by buttresses. These were constructed as cones in one tower and as massive staircases in the other.
Besides the two Barzan towers there is a “majlis,” a room to receive guests, built as an L- shaped pavilion with small windows for ventilation. Moreover, there is a mosque containing a simple prayer room which was also used as a “madrassa,” a school for teaching the Holy Quran to children.
On the top of the “majlis,” and the mosque, traditional “marazims” protect the walls’ surfaces. These wooden channels stretch out from the roof to drain rainwater away during the desert’s rare but heavy storms.
The pavilion provides an excellent example of traditional Qatari building methods and techniques. Thick walls helped to keep the buildings cool. They were constructed by first overlapping raw pieces of coral-rock with limestone and cementing the two with mud mortar. Once dry, this was subsequently covered with a gypsum-based plaster. The roof was built in four layers, starting with a series of “danchal” wood poles. These were sometimes painted with bitumen for protection. The “danchal” wood poles were then covered by a layer of “basgijl,” woven bamboo strips. A closely constructed net of mangrove branches was added followed by a layer of compressed mud to protect the buildings from the sun during the hot seasons.
Another interesting feature of this technique is the use of poles of “danchal” wood held together with a rope in the construction of architraves. This increased the adherence of the mud mortar and plaster.
The Qatari Authorities carried out wide-ranging restoration works in 2003.
Planning a visit
Visitors can enter the building 24-hours a day. We suggest also taking time to view the additional towers found in the same area, namely the Umm Slal Mohammed fortresses. They are private property, so you cannot enter them, but their well-preserved and genuinely important historical character make them one of the most interesting and notable heritage sites in Qatar. A unique oasis full of green trees, animals and palm trees is nestled behind the towers. UTM coordinates N 25° 25' 07.66" E 51° 24' 48.05"
Directions
The Barzan and surroundings towers are in Umm Slal Mohammed, 20 km north of Doha. Take the North road and make a U-turn at the first sign to Umm Slal Mohammed. Turn right onto Umm Slal Mohammed Road and right again into Barzan Street immediately after the roundabout.
Umm Slal Mohammed Fort
The Fortified House of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Jassim Al Thani was used by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani and his brother, Sheikh Abdullah, in the winter months; in summer, they used the nearby Barzan Tower. Both the fortified house and tower, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, have undergone extensive renovation. The castle was built using local limestone plastered with local gypsum. It has two towers, with one upper room on the eastern tower and two on the western tower. Among the 14 other rooms were a ladies’ sitting room, a grain store and the madbasa, a room for pressing dates.
Zekreet Fort
Description
Located close to Dukhan on the west coast of Qatar, the Zekreet area boasts an astonishing landscape with prehistoric sites and remnants of old settlements. One such destination site is the 18th century fort and early date press found on the beach. The fort has a very distinctive layout that allows seeing the two different phases of construction.
Originally, the fort was built as a simple square without towers in each corner. In a second phase of development, towers were added at the outer four corners of the fort. However these towers were never completed. Because they were added at a later date, their shape is incomplete. Actually, only three-quarters of their plans were built.
On the fort’s coastal side, the ruins of “madabes” can be found. These rooms were used to produce “debis”, which is a traditional date-based food. The rooms have parallel channels 10 cm deep into the floor that are linked together by a perpendicular canal near the entrance that funnels into an underground pot in the corner.
During the process of making “debis”, palm fronds were laid on the channels, creating a smooth, flat base. The dates were then put in sacks made of palm leaves and laid on top of each other in piles that could reach two meters high. The weight of the upper sacks often squashed the dates in the lower sacks and their thick juice ran into the channels and eventually into the underground pot.
Planning a visit
We suggest taking a walk on the beautiful sandy beach next to the site and enjoying a swim in the sea. Please remember not to litter the area and to take any garbage back with you. The site is always open and there is no admission fee.
UTM coordinates N 25° 29' 24.31'' E 50° 50' 40"
Directions
Zekreet fort is on the west coast of Qatar, 90 km from Doha. Take the road to Dukhan for 80 km and turn right at the Zekreet junction. Drive through Zekreet, turn left when you reach the limits of the village and drive towards the sea. It is possible to drive from Zekreet village in a standard car, however a four-wheel-drive vehicle would be more comfortable.
Al Wajba Fort
With its high towers and thick walls, Al Wajbah Fort was the site of a famous battle and is considered the oldest fort in the country. In 1893 A.D., the people of Qatar, under the leadership of Sheikh Qassim Bin Mohammed Al-Thani, defeated the Ottoman forces.