Zekreet Fort

Zekreet Fort stands just north of the village of Zekreet, on the Zekreet peninsula in northwestern Qatar near Dukhan, about 80 kilometres west of Doha. The village itself grew in the 1940s, when a harbour for oil equipment was built here after oil work started in the Dukhan area.

The fort is a modest structure built entirely of faroush, the local beach rock, typical of the small coastal forts that once guarded water sources and anchorages along the Qatari coast. Qatar Museums believes it was built between 1809 and 1812 by the tribal leader Rahma bin Jaber Al Jalahmah, and it is the only fort in Qatar's western region.

Most visitors come as part of a day on the peninsula. Nearby are the limestone mushroom rocks and cliffs of Ras Abrouq, Richard Serra's steel sculpture East-West/West-East, the Film City replica village and the beaches along the bay. The area is a protected landscape, and the flat desert and coastline are popular for camping and photography in the cooler months.

Entry has been free, but Qatar Museums lists the site as temporarily closed until further notice, so check before driving out. The tracks around Zekreet are partly unpaved, so a 4x4 is the usual choice, and visitors should carry water and avoid climbing on fragile walls.

Corner towers and the date-press rooms found in excavations

The fort began as a plain rectangular enclosure without towers. The four round corner towers were added later to strengthen it. Excavations between the fort and the sea uncovered small buildings, among them three madabis, rooms with grooved floors used to press dates into syrup, which show that the site was a working settlement as well as a defensive post.

Zekreet Mosque, a short distance away, dates from the early twentieth century. Its courtyard has two cylindrical minarets on the north and south walls, each capped by a small dome on six pillars, and seven openings link the courtyard to the open prayer hall. A recent restoration removed later additions and rebuilt the walls and ceilings with traditional materials.

Richard Serra's East-West/West-East, four steel plates over 14 metres tall set across the desert, stands a short drive away, so the fort and the sculpture are easy to pair once the site reopens.