Al Koot Fort

Al Koot is a small square fort with round towers at three corners and a square one at the fourth, built in 1880 and used as a police post guarding the souq behind it, which is why it sits in the middle of the modern city rather than out in the desert. It was restored and reopened after a long closure. The walls enclose a courtyard with rooms around it, now holding displays.

Background

Al Koot Fort is also called the Doha Fort. A building first went up here in 1880 as a police station and became a jail in 1906. In 1927 it was rebuilt by Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, ruler of Qatar between 1913 and 1949, and some sources say his aim was to keep thieves away from Souq Waqif. From 1927 to 1977 it housed a police station and a jail; it was renovated in 1978 and later became a museum. The displays cover Qatari handicrafts, gypsum and wooden ornaments, fishing gear and boats, old photographs and oil paintings of craftsmen at work and daily life.

Source: Wikipedia, "Al Koot Fort"

Highlights

• The mismatched towers - three round corners and one square.
• The 1880 construction - a police post built to guard the souq.
• The courtyard - the enclosed space with rooms around it.
• The city setting - a desert-form fort surrounded by modern Doha.

When to go

November to March is comfortable for walking there from the souq. The fort keeps set hours. Evenings are when the surrounding area is busiest.

Before you go

The fort is very small and an hour covers it completely. Displays inside are limited. It closes for long periods for maintenance without much notice.

Nearby

Souq Waqif is beside it, and Msheireb is west.

Key facts