Ar Rakiyat Fort, 19th century fort in northwest Qatar.
Ar Rakiyat Fort is a rectangular fort in northwest Qatar built with mud brick walls and four towers surrounding a central courtyard. The complex includes residential rooms and storage areas arranged around this central space, with three sets of interior stairs connecting the different levels.
The fort was built in the 19th century to guard water sources near Al Zubarah and serve as shelter for villagers during uncertain times. Archaeological finds show that people lived in this area centuries before, suggesting a long history of habitation at the site.
The fort contains a traditional date-press room and an adjacent mosque, both still visible inside, showing how farming and faith shaped daily life in this region long ago.
You enter through a single opening on the southern wall, and once inside you can explore the various rooms and tower sections at your own pace. The fort is fairly compact in size, so a visit does not take long, though the ground is uneven and some passages are narrow.
Excavations at the site uncovered a coin from the Abbasid period, proving that people lived here as early as the 8th century. This discovery is significant because it reveals that the location has been inhabited for far longer than the fort itself suggests.
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