The Masmak Fort ( ar, translit=Qaṣr al-Maṣmak, قصر المصمك), also called the Masmak Fortress or Masmak Palace, is a clay and

mudbrick A mudbrick or mud-brick is an air-dried brick, made of a mixture of loam, mud, sand and water mixed with a binding material such as rice husks or straw. Mudbricks are known from 9000 BCE, though since 4000 BCE, bricks have also bee ...

fort in ad-Dirah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, located in close proximity to the Justice Palace. Built in 1865 for prince 'Abdurrahman ibn Sulaiman AlDabaan under the Emirate of Jabal Shammar, The fortress played an integral role in the Unification of Saudi Arabia, with the

Battle of Riyadh The Battle of Riyadh was a minor battle in Riyadh, then part of the Emirate of Ha'il, fought between the Rashidi dynasty and the House of Saud in January 1902 that resulted in the latter's takeover of walled town by Ibn Saud. The battle is ...

, one of the most important conflicts of the Saudi unification, taking place in the fort. Since 1995, the fortress has been converted into a museum showcasing one of the most important landmarks of Saudi heritage.

History

The construction of the fort was started by Abdullah bin Faisal, Emir of Najd, in 1865. It was completed in 1895 by Emir of Riyadh, 'Abdurrahman ibn Sulaiman under the reign of

Muhammad bin Abdullah Al Rashid Muhammad bin Abdullah Al Rashid (, died 28 November 1897) was one of the Emirs of Jabal Shammar and is known for his defeat of the Saudi State in the battle of Mulayda which ceased to exist for a second time in 1891. His reign lasted from 1869 ...

, the ruler of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar and head of the

House of Rasheed The Rasheed dynasty, also called Al Rasheed or the House of Rasheed ( ar, آل رشيد ; ), was a historic Arabian House or dynasty that existed in the Arabian Peninsula between 1836 and 1921. Its members were rulers of the Emirate of Ha'il an ...

, who had wrested control of the city from the local House of Saud, who later went into exile. It was built with four watchtowers and thick walls, with a foundation of stone blocks, lying in the center of Riyadh, in the old city, part of the modern Deira district. It is one of the only historic buildings that has survived in the kingdom. The building was situated in the commercial center of historic Riyadh. In January 1902, Emir 'Abdulaziz ibn Saud Al Saud, who was at the time living in exile in Kuwait, returned to Riyadh and led an ambush against the Masmak fortress, regaining it from the House of Rasheed in the Battle of Riyadh. The event, which restored Saudi control over Riyadh, is considered one of the most important in the completion of the Unification of Saudi Arabia. It was used as a munitions warehouse from 1902 to 1938 by King Abdulaziz before he moved his court to then newly built

Murabba Palace The Murabba Palace (Arabic: Qasr al Murabba; the Square Palace) is one of the historic buildings in Al Murabba, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The palace is the first building that was erected outside the walls of the old city. It was named after its squa ...

. In 1979, the Municipality of Riyadh prepared a study for the restoration of the Masmak, following which a renovation of the fortress began. Their vision was realized in 1995 when the Ministry of Education and the Supreme Commission for the Development of Riyadh converted the building into a museum, making it an integral part of Saudi heritage. It was later incorporated into the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre, a series of restored buildings in Riyadh. Centennial celebrations were held in 1999. The museum includes displays several antique guns, costumes and agricultural artifacts.

Architecture

The Masmak can be divided into six distinct parts: the gate, the mosque, the ''

majlis ( ar, المجلس, pl. ') is an Arabic term meaning "sitting room", used to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups of administrative, social or religious nature in countries with linguistic or cultural conne ...

,'' the well, the towers and the courtyard. Masmak Fort (12753717253)

Gate The main gate of the palace is located in the western wall, measuring high and wide. It is thick and is made of

palmwood Coconut timber is a hardwood-substitute from coconut palm trees. It is referred to in the Philippines as coconut lumber, or coco lumber, and elsewhere additionally as cocowood or red palm It is a new timber resource that comes from plantation crops ...

. There is an opening on the center of the door, called ''al-Khokha'', which is just big enough for one person to pass at a time, and is a defensive feature designed to allow people in and out without opening the door. Mosque The mosque is located to the left of the entrance. It is a large room supported by several columns with shelves in the walls for placing ''mus'hafs'' of the Quran. A ''

mihrab Mihrab ( ar, محراب, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "qibla w ...

'' can be found in the mosque, and there are holes in the walls to provide ventilation. ''Majlis'' It is located directly ahead of the entrance and is a room in the shape of a rectangle. On the wall facing the entrance and the southern wall, there are holes in the walls for ventilation and lighting, similar to those found in the mosque. Masmak Castle from Thumairi

Well The well is located in the northeastern corner of the fortress. Watchtowers In each of the corners of the mosque are conical towers, each approximately high. The towers are accessed through staircases located inside them. The walls of the towers are especially thick, with a thickness of . Courtyard The courtyard is surrounded by rooms with columns connected to each other internally, and it has stairs on the eastern side leading to the first floor and roofs, and there are three residential units, the first served as the residence of the ruler, the second used as a ''

bayt al-mal ''Bayt al-mal'' () is an Arabic term that is translated as "House of money" or "House of wealth." Historically, it was a financial institution responsible for the administration of taxes in Islamic states, particularly in the early Islamic Calip ...

'', and the third was allocated for the accommodation of guests.

References

External links

Plan and Photographs

Virtual tour of the fort
{{Portal, Saudi Arabia Buildings and structures completed in the 19th century 1995 establishments in Saudi Arabia Forts in Saudi Arabia History of Nejd Ottoman Arabia Buildings and structures in Riyadh History museums in Saudi Arabia Museums established in 1995 Tourist attractions in Riyadh Castles in Saudi Arabia

History

Architecture

See also

References

External links