Qal'at Murair

{{Short description|Fort in Qatar}}

Qal'at Murair (also Qal'at Im Murair, {{langx|ar|قلعة مرير}}) is a ruined and deserted fortified castle located {{Convert|1.5|mi|km|order=flip}} from the south eastern part of the town of Zubarah.The Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman, and Central Arabia, John Gordon Lorimer, Volume II, Part 9 (Geographical & Statistical), 1905, p 1524

History

Qal'at Murair was built by the Al Bin Ali of the Utub tribe after their arrival to Zubarah from Kuwait.{{cite web|url=http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/87/13267.pdf?PHPSESSID=bda444c1e0660fceb3bcc5b710be5fad|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918181346/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/87/13267.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 18, 2015|title=Qatar's response to the question put by Judge Parra Aranguren to Qatar and Bahrain|publisher=International Court of Justice|date=13 July 2000}} It was built in attempt to thwart off challenges by the Al Musallam branch of the Bani Khalid, who ruled over most of Qatar.{{cite book|last=Rahman|first=Habibur|title=The Emergence Of Qatar|publisher=Routledge|year=2006|page=49|isbn=978-0710312136}} They initiated the 1783 Utub invasion of Bahrain from the fort.{{cite book|last=Althani|first=Mohamed|title=Jassim the Leader: Founder of Qatar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X_J9kiBRdIgC|publisher=Profile Books|year=2013|page=26|isbn=978-1781250709}}

Description of the fort

This castle was built {{Convert|1,500|m|ft}} outside the town of Zubarah with a channel and four walls lying between the town and the fort as well as a cemetery some {{Convert|2,100|m|ft}} outside the town. It was a fortified and was built to oversee and protect the town from any invaders. Inside the fort was a masjid known as Murair Masjid as well a well two fathoms deep, and outside the fort there are five wells one fathom deep, and all of its water is fresh.

See also

References