The Mezairah Fort is one of the oldest and largest castles in the United Arab Emirates, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. You can find it in Fujairah, where the city was formerly known as Fujairah. It played an important role during the country's struggle against colonialism.
Mezairah Fort was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century
Mezairah Fort is an ancient fortress located in Liwa Oasis, an arch-shaped oasis in the northern edge of the Empty Quarter. The Bani Yas tribes originally built forts to protect their wells and watch towers from nomadic tribes. Today, it is one of the most accessible forts in the area.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish permanent settlements in the region. Their colony of Muscat (now Oman) was a strategic location on the Musandam Peninsula. In the 16th century, they built several forts on the island. Muscat was a great trading center and grew prosperous under Portuguese rule. Rui Freire de Andrada died in Mascate in 1633. His body is buried in the church of St. Agostinho.
It is one of the oldest and largest castles in the United Arab Emirates
The Mezairah Fort in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is an ancient Islamic fort dating back to the 19th century. The fort is located in the Liwa oasis, which is a semi-urban region. It is open to the public and is free to visit. However, visitors should close the doors and keep the temperature cool. Upon entering the fort, be sure to thank the guard for opening it for you.
The fort is built on an uneven rock surface. This is the reason for the irregular shape of the fortress. The fort was built using local materials. Radiocarbon dating dates its construction between 1500 and 1550 CE. The fort was later restored during the 16th and 17th centuries and the British destroyed three of the towers in 1925.
It is a well-designed tour plan
It is wise to keep one day for a buffer day. This will help you in case of unforeseen circumstances like flight delay, traffic jam, or bad weather. It is also useful in case of change of mind and you wish to extend your stay.
It has good facilities
Mezairah Fort is a major historic settlement near Liwa. It was once a year-round settlement and was defended by towers that could be used as warnings against intruders. The guards of the fort could also sound an alarm, alerting the locals.
The fort is surrounded by moderately high walls and has three watchtowers. It has an inner courtyard and access areas for housing and food storage. There are also wooden gates and a living room.
It is a walk through time
When you visit Mezairah Fort, you are not just going on a tour of a desert fort. This historical structure played an important role during the resistance to colonial expansion. It is a 610 square-metre fort built out of rock, mortar, and mud, and is shored by mangrove poles. Its roof is made of palm fronds and the four-storey fort has four watch towers, two round and one square, which each rise more than 2.5 metres.
The fort was once the hub of Fujairah. It has seen a history of British and Wahhabist occupation. It has also been the site of executions and weddings. Today, it is open to the public, as a museum. The history of the fort stretches back to as far as the 17th century.
It has a mosque
One of the most beautiful parts of Mezairah Fort is its mosque. Its architecture is typical of the Arabian Peninsula. It is 29.6 kilometers long and features a mosque, a well-preserved palace and a museum. The mosque has a beautiful, spacious interior with Mughal frescoes and marble carvings.
The mosque complex has two stories. Its entrance is through a red sandstone edifice with a muqarna, an Islamic architectural device influenced by the Middle East. The mosque's courtyard is 276,000 square feet and is large enough to accommodate 100,000 worshipers. It is surrounded by single-aisled arcades.
