Diraz Temple
A Dilmun-era temple on the north coast with unusual round-based stone columns.
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The temple at Diraz on Bahrain's north coast dates to around the early second millennium BC and is set apart from the island's other Dilmun sites by its columns, square-sectioned stone pillars standing on round bases, a form found nowhere else on the island. The layout suggests a courtyard with an altar. It sits in a residential area now, fenced but open, and takes a certain amount of looking to make sense of.
What you actually see
- The columns - square pillars on round bases, unique on the island.
- The courtyard plan - the layout suggesting an altar at the centre.
- The Dilmun date - construction in the early second millennium BC.
- The urban setting - the site now enclosed by a residential area.
When to go
November to March is the comfortable season. Late afternoon light is best. Summer heat on the open site is severe.
Honest expectations
The remains are low and fragmentary and hard to read without background. There is no interpretation on site. The residential surroundings affect the setting considerably.
Nearby
Barbar Temple is east, and Saar is south.
What to pack for Diraz Temple
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.