Fujairah Fort

Fujairah Fort (Arabic: قلعة الفجيرة‎) is a fort in the city of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dating back to the 16th century, it is the among the oldest as well as the largest castles in the country. It is noted for playing significant roles in fighting back the wave of colonialism. Today, it is among the main tourist attractions in the city.[1] It is probably the oldest fort in the UAE and was occupied by the Wahhabists.[2]

View of the fort

Location

The fort is located about 2 km from central modern Fujairah in the old Fujairah region, on a small rocky hill which reaches 20 meters high. It is around 1 km away from the coast.[1][3][4]

Architecture and history

The fort is part of a complex with several old houses and a mosque. It is guarded by three round watchtowers and a square watchtower. The watchtowers and main building are connected by the walls, and there is a central hall surrounded by these towers and wall. The irregular shape of the castle is due to the uneven surface of the rock it sits on. The building is built of local materials, mostly rocks, gravels, mud, hay and plasters. Radiocarbon dating has identified the date of the construction as around 1500–1550. It was then renovated during 1650–1700. The British Navy destroyed three of the towers in 1925 during an action enforcing British anti-slavery policy.[2][5] The bombardment was by HMS Lawrence,[6] resulting in the recovery of a fine of 1,500 rupees from the sheikh. The fort was restored by the Fujairah Administration of Antiquity and Heritage during 1997/2000 using the same materials with which it was built.[7]

  • Inside the main courtyard
  • One of the watchtowers from the courtyard
  • Staircase to the roof in one of the watchtowers

See also

References
  1. قلاع وحصون الفجيرة صورة من الماضي الجميل. Al-Khaleej. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  2. Ghazal, Rym (11 December 2010). "Fujairah Fort opens to public to reveal the pivotal role it played in nation's past". The National.
  3. "Fujairah Fort Fact File". Gulf News. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  4. "The Fujairah Fort". www.uaeeastcoast.com. UAE: East Coast Tourism. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  5. Matthew S Hopper. Imperialism and the Dilemma of Slavery in Eastern Arabia and the Gulf, 1873 - 1939. Itinerario: International Journal on the History of European Expansion and Global Interaction 30, no. 3 (2006): 76-94.
  6. Zahlan, Rosemarie Said (2016-03-22). The origins of the United Arab Emirates : a political and social history of the Trucial States. London. p. 165. ISBN 9781317244653. OCLC 945874284.
  7. قلعة الفجيرة. National Registry of Archaeological Sites. Retrieved January 13, 2018.

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