Places · Museum · Riyadh

Al-Masmak, the mud fortress of Riyadh

Built in 1865 of mud and hay on stone, with four corner towers 18 metres high.

The fortress

Imam Abdullah bin Faisal bin Turki Al Saud began building al-Masmak in 1865. Its walls are of mud mixed with hay on stone foundations, plastered with clay outside and gypsum inside, and the outer wall is up to 2 m thick.

Four round watchtowers rise 18 m at its corners. Its entrance door, 3 m by 2 m, is made of tamarisk and palm wood. Inside are about 44 rooms on two floors, with courtyards, majlis rooms, a mosque and a well.

The museum

Restored in 1980, the fortress is now the Historical Al-Masmak Museum. Its halls display photographs, maps, display cases, old weapons and traditional heritage pieces.

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