Katara Cultural Village

Katara Cultural Village is a cultural district on the east coast of Doha, Qatar, between the towers of West Bay and The Pearl. Opened in October 2010, it holds theatres, galleries, two striking mosques, a public beach and restaurants, and suits visitors who want an evening of architecture, culture and sea views close to a Doha Metro stop.

Built on reclaimed land, opened in 2010

Katara was built on reclaimed land as a home for Qatar's cultural institutions, arts groups and festivals, and it opened in October 2010 by hosting the Doha Tribeca Film Festival. The name comes from an old name for the Qatar peninsula found on some early maps. The layout copies a traditional Qatari settlement, with low sand-coloured buildings, narrow shaded lanes and courtyards, so new theatres and galleries sit inside a familiar streetscape.

The amphitheatre and the Opera House

The centrepiece is a marble amphitheatre of about 3,275 square metres that faces the sea and seats about 5,000 people. Its design mixes Islamic forms with the classical Greek theatre. In October 2012 it staged Verdi's Aida, the first opera performed in Qatar, with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, at least 80 singers and 35 actors. The Katara Opera House, with about 550 seats, is the orchestra's home and the only venue of its kind in the country.

Mosques, pigeon towers and museums

Two mosques stand out: the Katara Mosque, covered in turquoise and purple tiles, and the Golden Mosque, faced in gold-coloured tiles in an Ottoman style. Both are working mosques, so visitors usually admire them from outside, dress modestly and avoid prayer times. Nearby, clay and brick pigeon towers about 15 metres high recall the dovecotes of the old Gulf. Other buildings hold art galleries, a cinema, a maritime museum, cultural associations and a planetarium that seats 200 under a 22-metre dome.

Beach, shopping and food

Katara Beach runs for about 1.5 km and offers swimming, pedal boats and kayaking; it has charged entry in recent years, with different rates for adults, children, weekdays and weekends. The 21 High Street promenade covers about 38,000 square metres of open-air shopping with outdoor cooling. Restaurants and cafes line the beachfront and hillside, from Qatari and Arabic food to international menus.

Events and the Katara Prize

Katara hosts the annual Traditional Dhow Festival, art fairs, jazz and classical concerts, Eid celebrations and Qatar National Day events. Since 2014 it has awarded the Katara Prize for Arabic Novel, whose total pool is 650,000 US dollars with a 200,000 dollar main award.