Al Jahili Fort

13 November 2022

Another fort! This one was large and had lots of dark rooms I enjoyed mooching around.

Al-Jahili Fort (romanized: Qalʿat al-Jāhilī) is a fort in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. The fort was established in 1891 around Al-Jahili Oasis for the protection of palm farmers. Later it was seized by the former Omani coastal scout for its operation to protect the mountain lanes and to preserve the inter-tribal peace.

The fort was mentioned and recorded by several historical figures. Percy Cox, in his tour to Al Ain in 1905, reportedly visited the Al Jahili region. In 1906, J. G. Lorimer mentioned that the fort was constructed under the rule of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.

Location: The fort is located on the southern part of the city of Al Ain close to Al Ain Castle Museum. It is on the strategic location where exist water sources and agricultural land.

Architecture: Similar in appearance to Mezyad Fort, Jahili Fort is one of the largest castles in the city. It is a part of the bigger complex for public activity which includes public square. The fort is square shaped and has a length of 35 metres (115 feet) and height of 8 metres (26 feet). There are embrasures and triangular balconies on the top. It has three round watchtowers, and a rectangular watchtower on the northwestern corner. Round watchtowers have a diameter of 5 metres (16 feet), and a height of 14 metres (46 feet). The rectangular watchtowers has width and length of 4 and 7 metres (13 and 23 feet) respectively, and height of 14 metres (46 feet). The rectangular tower is considered stronger in terms of defensive capacity.