Al Koot Fort

Al Koot Fort, also known as the Doha Fort, is a medieval military bastion located in Doha, Qatar’s capital. It was constructed in 1927 by Sheikh Abdulla bin Qassim Al Thani, also known as Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani, who governed Qatar from 1913 to 1949, when his brother, Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani, abdicated in favor of Sheikh Abdullah. Later, the fort was transformed into a museum.

The fort houses traditional Qatari handicrafts, items, and photographs of ordinary life with illustrations. Exhibits and artworks include of handicrafts, gypsum and wooden decorations, fishing equipment and boats, historical photographs and paintings, such as oil paintings of craft workers and daily life.

Sheikh Abdulla bin Qassim Al Thani reconstructed the Al Koot Fort in 1927, after it had been abandoned by the Ottomans. Some stories indicate that the Al Koot Fort was constructed by Sheikh Abdulla to safeguard the Souq Waqif from known robbers. It was first constructed as a police station in 1880 and then converted into a prison in 1906. Similarly, it was refurbished in 1978. During that period, it was one of the most significant forts.

The Al Koot Fort is located in the Al Bidda district, in the center of the famed Souq Waqif, close to the Doha Corniche, and is today a popular landmark, museum, and tourist destination, particularly among foreigners.