The fort
Seat of the port's government.
Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0
A historic port on the Gulf coast in the Al-Ahsa governorate, among the oldest in the region; some scholars link it with Gerrha, the trading city described by Greek and Roman writers. Until the 1930s it was Al-Ahsa's gateway to the sea, with goods carried on by caravan to Hofuf and the interior. The 1922 Uqair Protocol, which drew borders that matter in the history of the modern Kingdom, was agreed here. When roads reached Dammam, Qatif and Al-Ahsa in the 1930s its role faded, and by the 1970s it was a quiet fishing village. Its main building is the fort, a rectangle of about 25 by 19 metres that was the seat of local government, with an old mosque beside it, probably from the sixteenth century, a caravanserai to the east and the customs house. These buildings were restored in 1997. The visit is free, and the buildings are mostly seen from outside, so check locally whether they are open. The site is exposed on the shore, so winter is best; bring water and a hat.
Seat of the port's government.
From the Ottoman era.
The old caravan port.
Gulf coast, about 70 km north-east of Hofuf
About 70 kilometres north-east of Hofuf on the Gulf coast; it makes a day trip, best in winter.