Film City, Movie set village in Al-Shahaniya, Qatar.
Film City is a movie set location featuring multiple buildings with traditional Arabic architecture, narrow alleyways, and a central square spread across the desert landscape of Al-Shahaniya. The site consists of reconstructed structures standing without actual residents.
This artificial village was built in the mid-2000s and initially served as a backdrop for various television and film productions in the growing Qatari media industry. It emerged during a period of rapid expansion of the media sector in Qatar.
The structures show regional building styles with traditional houses, mosques, and market spaces representing Middle Eastern design. Visitors can experience how these recreated spaces mimic an actual settlement.
Visitors need a high-clearance vehicle to reach this location since roads pass through desert terrain and can be sandy. The drive from Doha takes about 90 kilometers via the Dukhan highway, and the best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon.
The empty streets and buildings create an artificial ghost town effect, with structures rising from desert sand against a backdrop of rocky cliffs. This eerie silence makes the place feel unlike typical tourist destinations.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
