Al Rekayat Fort soon to open gates for tourists

Al Rekayat Fort is ready to receive visitors and to be linked to the tourist movement in general in the northern areas.

Qatar Museums (QM) affirmed that the historical Al Rekayat Fort, which is 110 km from Doha and located in northeast of the Qatar peninsula, and 8 km to the northwest of Al Zubarah, will soon be among the tourist itineraries that introduce Qatar's defense architecture heritage, after the completion of its restoration. In a statement during a special tour of Qatar News Agency (QNA) inside the historical Al Rekayat Fort, Director of QM's Cultural Heritage Conservation Adel Al Moslamani said that the Fort, after highlighting what has been accomplished in it, is ready to receive visitors and to be linked to the tourist movement in general in the northern areas, stressing that its interior design allows the organisation of cultural and tourist events under specific conditions that prevent any negative impact on the architectural vocabulary of the Fort. Al Moslamani explained that the history of the fort is dating back - according to historical sources - to the period between the 17th and 19th centuries, noting the unique local architectural style of Al Rekayat Fort (means "well" in Arabic) which paved the way for its historical integration into the local environment of the country, making it one of the oldest and most important desert forts in Qatar. He added that it is believed that the fort was built to protect the essential sources of water in this place, as there is a freshwater well in the fort itself. The fort is surrounded by scattered remains of a village, and has three rectangular towers and a round one, he said, pointing out that aligned around the three sides (North, East and West) of the large central courtyard are narrow rooms without windows, but with doors that open to the courtyard. The main entrance to the fort is located within the southern wall, he added. The Director of QM's Cultural Heritage Conservation indicated in his statement to QNA that the restoration work of the fort began in October 2020 and continued until September 2021, when the preservation and restoration work of the fort was completed, with outdoor lighting that adopted renewable and eco-friendly energy using solar energy to feed the fort's external lighting sources at night without the need for electricity. Al Moslamani stressed that the restoration was done so that the fort resembles the original structure, respecting the restoration that took place in 1988, as it has become an integral part of the history of the fort, with the construction of a mobile service building outside the fort, and on an adjacent site to meet the requirements of visitors. The traditional and authentic building materials were used in the current restoration, with some improvements and modern techniques, especially with regard to insulation materials, in a way that does not negatively affect the traditional building materials, he said. He underlined that the ceilings were restored according to the local Qatari building style, using the same traditional components. Al Rekayat Fort joined other Qatari archaeological sites on the ISESCO Islamic World Heritage List, which are Barzan Towers and Al Khulaifi Heritage House, during the 9th meeting of the Heritage Committee of ISESCO in June 2021.