Lying in the heart of Riyadh’s old quarters, Masmak Fort is a magnificent cidadel that takes back into the history of Saudi Arabia. This is the fort which late Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud stormed in 1902, creating a turning point in the history of both Riyadh and the Arabian Peninsula. You can still see his spearhead embedded in its wooden gate.
Today it’s an acute and virtually official symbol of his pivotal rise, an episode dramatically recreated in a short film that plays in Masmak’s museum. Amid its halls and rooms with displays of photographs, weapons and armor is a plaque commemorating Saudi Arabia’s National Day that refers to the country’s “destiny which, first and foremost, brings honour to the creator of that unity King Abdul Aziz.
His status as father of the nation - its unity was formalized only in 1932 - is reinforced in every, mostly excellent, regional museum up and down the country. The Masmak Fort popularly known today as Qasr al-Masmak in the Kingdom stands today as a monument to late Abdul Aziz and his reunification of Saudi Arabia. Masmak fortress captures the feel of old Arabia. As a preserved piece of history- the actual location of the capture of Riyadh by the young Abdulaziz al Saud- it is a great privilege to visit. There is additional interest in the surrounding sights- the grand Mosque, Deira Souk and Chop Chop Square. Within the fort, visitors will find traditional dress and crafts, a diwan with open courtyard, functioning well, square watch and mosque. Just 200 meters southeast of Masmak Fort is Al-Thumairi Gate, one of nine gates that once led into the city.
The walls surrounding the gate were pulled down in 1950. The fort building played a major part in the Kingdom’s history, as it was here that the recapture of Riyadh led by Ibn Saud occurred on January 14, 1902. Today the fort is one among several buildings that form the King Abdul Aziz Historical Center (KAAHC), a series of restored buildings in Riyadh. Centennial celebrations of these buildings were held in 1999.
The fort is an interesting monument to watch. It’s palm tree gate is 3.65 meters high by 2.65 meters wide. There is an opening on the center of the door, called Al-Khokha, which is just big enough for one person to pass at a time, and is a defensive feature designed to allow people in and out without opening the door. The castle also encloses a mosque and a well. The roofs are covered with painted palm-tree, taramic and ethel wood, the communicating doors of the labyrinthine rooms and courtyards inside are of painted wood.
The building received some important renovation in the 1980s, and became a museum in 1995. The museum includes a display on many antique guns, costumes and agriculture artifacts. The museum conjures up the ancient history of Saudi Arabia. Visitors can travel back in time and witness how the late King Abdul Aziz besieged it and took it back from the Al-Rashid family. Detail of this event is illustrated through a picture at the entrance of the museum. It served as a military post and as a ammunition storehouse until it was acknowledged as a patrimonial symbol of the establishment of Saudi Arabia.The museum lives up to expectations. It shows mementoes of the Kingdom’s historic past, including some 20 pictures of palaces found in various parts of the Kingdom.
“The ambiance of Riyadh in the late 1940s as shown by the pictures inevitably evokes pride in the heart and mind of every patriotic Saudi,” said a report published in a section of Saudi press recently.
“For this reason, the museum is a repository of the history of Riyadh and, by extension, of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the report added. Apart from the museum there are other attractions in the area. This includes Riyadh governor’s office, whose size and architecture is something to behold. Visitors go to governor’s office for various reasons. Masmak Fort, the governor’s office, the mosque, and the buildings of the religious police form a circle. At its center is a wide concrete space where children play at sunset.
During Haj holidays more than 25,000 people visit the area, according to Nasser Al-Oraifi, museum’s director. The visitors include diplomats from different countries. “All the buildings in the area complement each other so that the whole place has become a tourist attraction,” said Al-Oraifi, while giving details of the fort. He said that owners of buildings in the Al-Masmak area have either rented out spaces for commercial purposes or set up shops to cash in on the influx of tourists particularly on weekends.
If you want to learn more about Saudi Arabia and the local culture, and history -- then, this is a must see - part of your itinerary, says Rashid Hassan, a local journalist. Do not hesitate - just go - and be prepared to learn and to be amazed. Masmak Fort is considered one of the most important historical landmarks in the Kingdom as it has a remarkable potentiality in Riyadh’s history in particular and the Kingdom’s history in general: it represents the blessed launch from which founding and unifying the Kingdom have been done.
The word masmak means the high strong thick building and it is built of adobes. It has been built in Mohamed Bin Rasheed’s era in 1289AD. In The beginning of the Saudi state, this building was used as armory. It was used for this purpose till it was decided to make it an archeological attraction and a museum. Masmak represents a stage of founding the Kingdom, shows its history and the stages of the Kingdom foundation by late King Abdul Aziz – May God bless his soul.

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