Qal'at al-Qatif

Qatif castle
A photograph from the 1940s shows a view of one of the towers of Qatif Castle.
Map
General information
TypeAn ancient defense fortress.
LocationCastle area, Qatif, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia
Country Saudi Arabia
Coordinates26°33′36″N 50°0′36″E / 26.56000°N 50.01000°E / 26.56000; 50.01000

Qal'at al-Qatif (Qatif Castle), also known as Hadaret Qatif, Qasbet Al-Qatif,[1] Madenet Al-Qatef Al Mohasana,[2] Al-Farda, or Al-Mahfouza, is an ancient fortress located in the heart of Qatif, a city in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The castle's origins trace back to the 3rd century CE, built by the Sassanids.[3][4][5][6][7] Later, during the 17th century (1630 CE / 1039 AH),[3][4] the Ottoman Empire restored the castle, transforming it into a military base and defense point in the Persian Gulf. Over time, it also served as a warehouse for goods and a residential area.[6][8]

The fortress housed eleven mosques, along with a royal court palace, guesthouses, and livestock pens, all of which were enclosed by a formidable wall. However, in the 1980s, Qatif Castle was demolished as part of a development project. The area was gradually cleared of its houses and buildings, turning it into a public square and parking lots, leaving only 18 dilapidated structures.[9]

Qatif Castle was oval-shaped, with an impregnable stone wall surrounding a densely populated residential district.[10]Al-Musallam, Muhammad (August 18, 1960). The Black Gold Coast: A Humanistic Historical Study of the Arabian Gulf Region (2nd ed.). Bahrain: Dar Al-Hayat Library. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Accessed on July 6, 2017.</ref> British historian John Lorimer estimated the castle's dimensions at 365 meters on its eastern and western sides and 275 meters on its northern and southern sides. He also estimated its population to be around 5,000 people, with about 300 shops within its markets. The castle was surrounded by a deep trench,[11] orchards, and farms, connecting it to the wider oasis of Qatif.[8]

  1. ^ "Qatif | Al-Qafilah Magazine". qafilah.com. Archived from the original on 2017-11-02. Accessed on 2017-07-07.
  2. ^ Arab Anthropology; Al-Jishi, Mohammed Fouad: The House of Al-Jishi in the Fortified City of Qatif.
  3. ^ a b "Municipality of Qatif". www.qatifmb.org. Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Accessed on 2017-07-05.
  4. ^ a b "Al-Watan Online ::: 18 dilapidated houses. The last remnants of Qatif's historic castle". www.alwatan.com.sa (in English). Archived from the original on 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2017-07-05.
  5. ^ "Spotlight on the History of Qalaa - Qatif Oasis". www.qatifoasis.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-14. Accessed on 2017-07-03.
  6. ^ a b "A glimpse of the monuments of the Eastern Province | Al-Marsal". www.almrsal.com. Archived from the original on 2018-07-12. Accessed on 2017-07-05.
  7. ^ "Municipality of Qatif". www.qatifmb.org. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16. Accessed on 2017-07-05.
  8. ^ a b Al-Droura, Ali (2001). History of the Portuguese occupation of Qatif, 1251-2751 AD. Abu Dhabi: Cultural Complex. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Accessed on July 5, 2017
  9. ^ "Spotlight on the history of the castle - Oasis Magazine". www.alwahamag.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-13. Accessed on 2017-08-13.
  10. ^ Al-Mulla, Abdul Rahman (2002). History of the Ayyuni Emirate in Eastern Arabia. Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Prize for Poetic Creativity Foundation. Archived from the original on January 3, 2020. Accessed on July 8, 2017
  11. ^ Abul Fida, Ismail (1840 A.D.). Almanac of countries. Beirut: Dar Sadr. Pp. 99. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Accessed on July 5, 2017.