Masmak Fort
Masmak Fort | |
---|---|
قصر المصمك | |
Alternative names | Masmak Fortress Masmak Palace |
General information | |
Architectural style | Najdi |
Address | Qasr al-Masmak, Al Imam Turki ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad, Dirah, Riyadh 12652 |
Town or city | Riyadh |
Country | Saudi Arabia |
Construction started | 1865 |
Completed | 1895 |
The Masmak Fort (
History
The construction of the fort was started by
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.[5][6] 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.[7]
In 1979, the Municipality of Riyadh prepared a study for the restoration of the Masmak, following which a renovation of the fortress began.
Architecture
The Masmak can be divided into six distinct parts: the gate, the mosque, the majlis, the well, the towers and the courtyard.
Gate
The main gate of the palace is located in the western wall, measuring 3.6 m (12 ft) high and 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) wide. It is 10 cm (3.9 in) thick and is made of
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
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.
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 18 m (59 ft) high. The towers are accessed through staircases located inside them. The walls of the towers are especially thick, with a thickness of 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in).
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, and the third was allocated for the accommodation of guests.
See also
References
- ^ "Masmak Fortress | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Attractions". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-530991-1.
- ^ a b "مدينة الرياض". riyadh.sa. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- JSTOR 4323104.
- ^ "Al-Masmak Fort". Saudi Arabia Tourism Guide. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Al Masmak Fortress". visitsaudi.com. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- ^ "Historic Riyadh". Simbacom. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Riyadh". Meet Saudi Arabia. 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2013.