Arad Fort

Arad Fort stands on the shore of Muharraq island, a square building with round towers at the corners built in the typical Arab style of the fifteenth century, used by the Portuguese and later the Omanis and restored in the 1980s using coral stone, lime and palm trunks in the original manner. It is floodlit at night and sits directly under the approach to Bahrain International Airport. The moat around the walls was part of the original design and has been cleared as part of the restoration work.

What you actually see

• The corner towers - round bastions at the angles of the square plan.
• The traditional materials - coral stone, lime and palm trunks used in restoration.
• The floodlighting - the fort lit through the evening.
• The airport approach - aircraft passing low directly overhead.

When to go

November to March is the comfortable season. Evenings are when the floodlighting works. The fort keeps set hours and closes on some days.

Honest expectations

The restoration is extensive and much of what stands is rebuilt. The interior is largely empty with little interpretation. Aircraft noise is constant.

Nearby

Muharraq is west, and Bu Maher Fort is southwest.