Muwaylih Castle, Ottoman fortress in Muwaylih, Saudi Arabia
Muwaylih Castle is a stone fortress in al-Muwayliḥ, on the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. It has four corner towers, thick walls with firing positions for cannons and rifles, and an interior that includes a prayer hall and storage rooms.
The castle was built in 1560 under the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman to secure the coastal pilgrimage route. It served as a supply and defense post for centuries along this passage.
The castle sits along the coastal pilgrimage road used by Muslims traveling from Egypt and North Africa toward Mecca. Visitors can still walk through the interior prayer hall that once served those passing pilgrims.
The fortress sits on high ground and is easy to spot from the town below, so finding it is straightforward. Visitors can walk around the full structure and its grounds, so comfortable shoes and sun protection are worth bringing.
In 1914, a British warship opened fire on the Ottoman garrison inside the fortress, an unusual episode this far from the European fronts. The damage to the northern and western walls is still visible today.
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