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Marid Castle (orMarid balance[dubious –discuss]) is a historic military fortress located in the city ofDumat al-Jandal in theAl-Jawf region ofSaudi Arabia, about 50 km fromSakaka. Built in the first century AD, it was first mentioned in the third century in the context of QueenZenobia's campaign against Dumat al-Jandal andTayma's rebellion, when her troops weren't able to capture the fortress.[citation needed]
The castle of Marid was named for its rebellion[dubious –discuss] and insurrection against those trying to storm it, as stated byYaqout al-Hamwi.[citation needed]
The castle is located on a hill rising to about 620 meters above sea level,[clarification needed] and overlooks the city ofDumat al-Jandal, which is affiliated to theAl-Jawf region from the western side. That contributed to its importance, as the castle can oversee all parts of the town and observe any approaching friend or foe long before they arrive.
Marid fortress dates back to the first century.[clarification needed] The oldest mention of it dates back to the third century AD when QueenZenobia invaded Adumato (today's Dumat al-Jandal) andTayma, but could not capture the fortress. Therefore she reportedly said, "Marid has rebelled, and Ablaq[who?] has glorified."[clarification needed][citation needed]
In 633 CE,Khalid ibn al-Walid annexed Dumat al-Jandal to the newly formed Islamic empire.[citation needed]
In 1853,Ha'il governor TalalIbn Rashid damaged the castle with two cannons.[citation needed]
In 1909, Nawwaf Ibn Sha'lan besieged it for ten months until he could wrest it from theRashids.[citation needed]
Some parts of the castle were rebuilt between AH 1416 and AH 1423 (AD 1995/6-2002/3).[dubious –discuss] In addition to a mosque restoration project that includes parts of the Al-Daraa neighborhood, which included installing[clarification needed] stone buildings, restoring cracks in the facades, entrance, and corridors, and installing wooden ceilings oftaramax[dubious –discuss] stems in the corridors and layers of moisture insulation.[citation needed]
In 2018, theSaudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) has launched a project to repair the castle. In the framework of the project, a cafe and a traditional restaurant have been built in the castle.[citation needed]
The castle was originally rectangular, but is now oval in shape. It can be accessed from two main entrances, one in the south of the castle and the other in the north, next to the tower.[citation needed]
The castle has two floors; the first[clarification needed] was built in stone, the upper one in mud.[clarification needed] There also are four conical towers with height of 12 meter, and they were created at various times. Inside the castle, there are two wells, and its floors contain rooms for guards, shooting and observation.[citation needed]
The castle is surrounded by a large stone wall with many openings for observation.[clarification needed] The fence[clarification needed] has two entrances, one from the south and the other from the north.[clarification needed][citation needed]
Visitors need about 30 minutes to climb up to the top of the castle[clarification needed] due to its 1000 steps twisted stair.[citation needed]
Excavations at Marid Castle - inside and outside the castle - have proven that the castle dates back to theNabataean period; the excavations brought to light layers with pottery and other findings dating back to the Nabataean period, such as:
In 1976, excavations revealed Nabataean andRoman ceramics dating back to the first and second centuries AD. An excavation team completed the excavation east of the castle and the wall.[which?]
Excavations made by Khaleel Ibrahim Al-Moaqil in 1986 added to observations made in 1976 that a homogeneous layer of Roman-Nabataean potterysherds indicated a prosperous community during the time of the Nabataeans, to whose realm the region probably belonged.
There are many other ancient sites in the castle's vicinity, such as theUmar ibn al-Khattab Mosque, Old Dumat al-Jandal's market, the historical neighborhood of Al-Dara’a, and the city wall.
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Also See:Castles in Saudi Arabia | ||
29°48′41″N39°52′02″E / 29.81139°N 39.86735°E /29.81139; 39.86735
