Masmak Fortress

A clay and mud-brick fort in old Riyadh; its capture by Ibn Saud in 1902 began the unification of Saudi Arabia.

Building began in 1865 under Abdullah bin Faisal Al Saud and was finished in 1895 under the Rashidi rulers of the region. The fort has four watchtowers and thick walls on a foundation of stone blocks. It is one of the very few historic buildings in the kingdom that survived the city's fast growth. Today it is a museum, open to the public since 1995, and it tells the story of how modern Saudi Arabia began.

What happened here in 1902?

In January 1902 a young leader, Abdulaziz ibn Saud, returned from exile in Kuwait. His small group surprised the Rashidi garrison and took back the fort in the Battle of Riyadh. That victory opened the way to the unification of Saudi Arabia, and many people mark it as the start of the story of the modern kingdom. Because it is one of the few historic buildings in the kingdom to survive, it is treasured as a piece of national memory.

What happened to the fort afterwards?

From 1902 to 1938 King Abdulaziz used it as a warehouse for ammunition, until he moved his court to the newly built Murabba Palace. In 1979 the municipality of Riyadh prepared a plan to restore the fort. The work was completed and the museum opened to visitors in 1995, so that people can walk through the same courtyard and towers.

On the globe

The model shows the mud-brick fort with its towers and thick walls. Look for the square shape and the four corner towers.