Forts of Qatar presents a glimpse into an ancient past
Let us walk by some of
the olden forts in Qatar that stood tall and have been so well-preserved,
offering us an amazing sneak peek into history. Visit these sites to listen to
the whispers of history...
Al Zubara Fort
Al Zubara Fort situated halfway
between the Strait of Hormuz and the west arm of the Persian Gulf, was formerly
a bustling pearl fishing and trade harbour. In the Persian Gulf region, it is
one of the biggest and best-preserved examples of a commercial town from the
18th and 19th centuries. Before the discovery of oil and gas in the 20th
century, the Persian Gulf region's social and economic history, as well as
urban life and spatial organisation, were all profoundly illuminated by the
archaeological site of Zubarah. Though it was originally built in 1938 intended for
Coast Guard, some people believe Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim al Thani put it up
as a police station. Later on, it was refurbished into a museum with a wide
range of displays and artwork, particularly related to archaeological
discoveries.
Surrounding this remarkable fort
are lofty, compact walls, hefty and profuse in width. A mortar and pestle
designed especially for grinding mud was claimed to have been used to combine
and integrate overlapping raw coral stones, mainly limestone, to construct the
fort's walls. For the people within the fort, the roof made of compressed mud, provided
shade and cooling. It was also for the soldiers who patrolled the surrounding
areas for attackers.
Al Thaqab Fort
Based on
archaeological findings, Thaqab has been inhabited since the tenth century. Rectangular
Ath Thaqab Fort has four towers. The centre of the fort is a courtyard with
steps going up to the towers. It was created somewhere in the eighteenth or
nineteenth century.
Approximately 110 kilometres from the capital of Doha, in the municipality of
Ash Shamal, is the abandoned town of Ath Thaqab in Qatar. Al Ruwaydah and Al
Khuwayr, the latter of which is approximately three miles distant, are the
nearby localities. Situated close to the town is the Thaqab Fort.
Al Rekayat Fort
The 19th-century Al
Rekayat Fort was built in the municipality of Al Shamal, in northwest Qatar,
close to the village of Ar Rakiyat, to safeguard the area's water supplies. In
times of strife, the locals utilised it as a protective construction. It's regarded
as one of Qatar's biggest forts. The fort's general shape is rectangular, with
four towers—three rectangular and one cylindrical—with a maximum height of
three meters.
The old fort stands out due to its total lack of ornamentation. Its role as a
defensive construction is indicated by the fact that it has just one entrance,
which is situated on the southern wall.
A variety of
materials were utilised to create the fort. The upper part was built with
lubnah, a mixture of mud and clay brick, while the lower piece was built with
limestone and mud.
The fort's northern, eastern, and western sections each have dwelling quarters.
In the fort, there are three staircases. The first one goes to the cylindrical
tower and is located in the southwest corner of the courtyard. The second and
third lead to the roof and are situated in the fort's northeast and northwest
corners, respectively. Within the centre courtyard, in a rectangular building,
was found a date-press, also known as a madbassat. Situated just southwest of
the fort is a mosque.
Barzan Towers/Umm Salal Mohammed Fort Towers
The watchtowers
known as Barzan Towers, or the Umm Salal Mohammed Fort Towers, were constructed
in the late 1800s and underwent renovations in 1910 under the leadership of
Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani. They are situated on the southern edge of
the defensive system, which was built to guard the 'rawdat,' a valley where
valuable rainfall is gathered when it descends from higher elevations, towards
the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. "Barzan"
means "high place" in Arabic.
The structures were
initially constructed using limestone cement and coral rock. They included
traditional Qatari design and construction techniques, such as
"marazim" wooden rainwater drains that divert rainwater from the building
walls during storms, a "majilis" room for guests to stay in between
towers, and four-layer roofs with mangrove mesh, woven bamboo strips,
"basgijl," and compressed mud between layers.
Al
Koot Fort
The Al Koot Fort, a
popular landmark, museum, and tourist destination, particularly for foreign
visitors, is situated in the Al Bidda neighbourhood close to the Doha Corniche,
in the middle of the well-known Souq Waqif. Located in the centre of Doha, Al Koot
Fort, sometimes referred to as the Doha Fort, is a former military stronghold.
Sheikh Abdulla bin Qassim Al Thani erected it in 1927. Later on, the fort was
transformed into a museum.
The fort houses
traditional handicrafts, items, and daily life images with artwork made in
Qatar. Handicrafts, gypsum and wooden decorations, fishing gear and boats,
historical photographs, and paintings, including oil portraits of everyday life
and craft workers, are among the exhibits and artworks.
Constructed as a police station in 1880 and utilised as a prison in 1906, the
Al Koot Fort was renovated following its abandonment by the Ottomans.
Zekreet Fort
Zekreet is a village close to
Dukhan, located around 80 km northwest of Doha, deriving its name from the
Arabic word "zikra," which means "memories". The settlement
itself subsequently received the name, but it was originally assigned to a
nearby rawda that held sentimental significance for its residents.
In the 1940s, Zekreet was developed
as a result of Qatar's oil activities. Along with a few tiny
residences that eventually grew into a community, this also involved building a
harbour for oil equipment.
Situated just to the north of the hamlet, Zekreet Fort is one
of the site's most prominent tourist attractions and ancient ruins. The fort had a rectangular layout, and in order to reinforce
its construction even further, towers were eventually erected at each of its
four corners. Archaeologists found three madabis, or date-pressing chambers,
amid other small structures between the fort and the sea.
Zekreet Mosque’s courtyard has a cylindrical minaret positioned
on the northern and southern walls. Each of the minarets has a dome that is
supported by six pillars. The fountain is a somewhat contemporary construction.
