| Al Masmak Palace | |
|---|---|
قصر المصمك | |
.jpg) Entrance to the fortress | |
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| Alternative names | Masmak Fortress Masmak Palace |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Najdi architecture |
| Address | Qasr al-Masmak, Al Imam Turki ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad, Dirah, Riyadh 12652 |
| Town or city | Riyadh |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Construction started | 1865 |
| Completed | 1895 |
Al Masmak Palace (Arabic:قصر المصمك,romanized: Qaṣr al-Maṣmak), also called theMasmak Fortress orMasmak Fort, is a historicclay andmudbrick fort in thead-Dirah neighborhood ofRiyadh,Saudi Arabia, located in close proximity to theal-Hukm Palace in theQasr al-Hukm District. Commissioned in 1865 byAbdullah bin Faisal Al Saud, it was completed in 1895 following the takeover of thetown by theRashidi dynasty.[1] The fortress was the main theatre for theBattle of Riyadh in 1902, which marked the prelude to theunification of Saudi Arabia.[2] It was opened to the general public in 1995 after its conversion into a museum.[3]
The construction of the fort was started byAbdullah bin Faisal,Emir of Najd, in 1865.[4] It was completed in 1895 byEmir of Riyadh, 'Abdurrahman ibn Sulaiman under the reign ofMuhammad bin Abdullah Al Rashid, the ruler of the Emirate of Jabal Shammar and head of theHouse of Rasheed, who had wrested control of the city from the local House of Saud, who later went into exile. It was built with fourwatchtowers and thick walls, with a foundation of stone blocks, lying in the center of Riyadh, in the old city, part of the modern Deira district. It is one of the only historic buildings that has survived in the kingdom. The building was situated in the commercial center of historic Riyadh.[2]
In January 1902, Emir'Abdulaziz ibn Saud Al Saud, who was at the time living in exile inKuwait, returned to Riyadh and led an ambush against the Masmak fortress, regaining it from the House of Rasheed in the Battle of Riyadh. The event, which restored Saudi control over Riyadh, is considered one of the most important in the completion of theUnification of Saudi Arabia.[5][6] It was used as a munitions warehouse from 1902 to 1938 by King Abdulaziz before he moved his court to then newly builtMurabba Palace.[7]
In 1979, the Municipality of Riyadh prepared a study for the restoration of the Masmak, following which a renovation of the fortress began.[8] Their vision was realized in 1995 when the Ministry of Education and the Supreme Commission for the Development of Riyadh converted the building into a museum, making it an integral part of Saudi heritage.[3] It was later incorporated into theKing Abdulaziz Historical Centre, a series of restored buildings in Riyadh.[8] Centennial celebrations were held in 1999.[9] The museum includes displays several antique guns, costumes and agricultural artifacts.
The Masmak can be divided into six distinct parts: the gate, the mosque, themajlis, the well, the towers and the courtyard.
Gate
The main gate of the palace is located in the western wall, measuring 3.6 m (12 ft) high and 2.65 m (8 ft 8 in) wide. It is 10 cm (3.9 in) thick and is made ofpalmwood. There is an opening on the center of the door, calledal-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.
Mosque
The mosque is located to the left of the entrance. It is a large room supported by several columns with shelves in the walls for placingmus'hafs of theQuran. Amihrab can be found in the mosque, and there are holes in the walls to provideventilation.
Majlis
It is located directly ahead of the entrance and is a room in the shape of a rectangle. On the wall facing the entrance and the southern wall, there are holes in the walls for ventilation and lighting, similar to those found in the mosque.
Well
Thewell is located in the northeastern corner of the fortress.
Watchtowers
In each of the corners of the mosque are conical towers, each approximately 18 m (59 ft) high. The towers are accessed through staircases located inside them. The walls of the towers are especially thick, with a thickness of 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in).
Courtyard
The courtyard is surrounded by rooms with columns connected to each other internally, and it has stairs on the eastern side leading to the first floor and roofs, and there are three residential units, the first served as the residence of the ruler, the second used as abayt al-mal, and the third was allocated for the accommodation of guests.
24°37′52″N46°42′48″E / 24.63111°N 46.71333°E /24.63111; 46.71333
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