The Bu Maher Fort ( ar, قلعة بو ماهر, sometimes called Abu Maher Fort) is a fort situated in
Halat Bu Maher
Halat Bu Maher ( ar, حالة بو ماهر), sometimes abbreviated to simply "Al Hala" ( ar, الحالة), is a neighbourhood of Muharraq, Bahrain. It used to be a separate island, but after coastal expansion and dredging, the island has merged ...
, in the
Kingdom of Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ad ...
. In 2012, the fort was identified as part of the
Bahrain pearling trail
The Bahrain Pearling Path is a serial cultural heritage site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on June 30, 2012. It consists of three oyster beds in the northern waters of Bahrain, a segment of the coast and the seafront Bu Mahir fort ...
, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
.
History
The fort was constructed in 1840 although its origins likely come from a
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
fortification from the 16th century.
An analysis of artefacts from the fort by an excavation team from
Oxford Brookes University have suggested the site may have been first occupied from the
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the ...
or early
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
era. There was also evidence of the site periodically being submerged underwater. The rectangular fort with four circular towers was built by
Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and served as a sister fort to
Arad Fort
__NOTOC__
Arad Fort ( ar, قلعة عراد, ''Qal'at 'Arad'') is a 15th-century fort in Arad, Bahrain. Formerly guarding a separate island of its own, the fort and its surroundings have since been joined to Muharraq Island.
Arad Fort was built ...
, guarding the passageway of
Muharraq
Muharraq ( ar, المحرق, al-Muḥarraq) is Bahrain's third largest city and served as its capital until 1932 when it was replaced by Manama. The population of Muharraq in 2012 was 176,583.
The city is located on Muharraq Island. Bahrain Int ...
Bay. In 1868, the fort was destroyed by British warships intervening in the
Qatari–Bahraini War.
The island and fort were partially restored in 1930 to serve as a
quarantine
A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...
station for
smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
. The fort was further reconstructed in the 1970s by a Bahraini archaeological team and further archaeological excavations have since been conducted as recently as 2010.
At present, the fort consists of a solitary tower.
Today
The site is now adjacent a coast guard base and can be visited from the
Bahrain National Museum
The Bahrain National Museum ( ar, متحف البحرين الوطني) is the largest and oldest public museum in Bahrain. It is situated in Manama, adjacent to the National Theatre of Bahrain. Opened on 15 December 1988 by the Emir of Bahrain ...
by a short boat ride.
The fort currently boasts a visitor centre and is the starting point of the pearling trail.
See also
*
Bahrain pearling trail
The Bahrain Pearling Path is a serial cultural heritage site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on June 30, 2012. It consists of three oyster beds in the northern waters of Bahrain, a segment of the coast and the seafront Bu Mahir fort ...
*
Arad Fort
__NOTOC__
Arad Fort ( ar, قلعة عراد, ''Qal'at 'Arad'') is a 15th-century fort in Arad, Bahrain. Formerly guarding a separate island of its own, the fort and its surroundings have since been joined to Muharraq Island.
Arad Fort was built ...
Citations
Bibliography
*
{{Archaeological sites in Bahrain
Forts in Bahrain