Western Asia
Discover Al Fateh Mosque, Al Khamis Mosque’s Surviving Minarets, Bab al Bahrain and more.
Explore 5 illustrated places, read the stories behind them and look closer on the globe.
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architecture
Al Fateh Mosque stands in Juffair, Manama. Its large pale dome and paired minarets give the building an outline that is easy to recognise across the city. The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities identifies it as one of the country’s major places of worship. Look from the dome to the lower arcades: large curved forms sit above a rhythm of smaller arches. The building combines a spacious gathering place with carefully worked architectural detail.
architecture
Al Khamis Mosque is one of Bahrain’s most important early Islamic archaeological places. Its surviving structures reflect more than one phase of rebuilding. The heritage authority highlights the twin minarets as the site’s most recognisable feature. Around their bases, low walls and arches preserve traces of earlier spaces. Rather than a complete roofed building, this is a place where surviving fragments help tell a longer story. Look for the dark projecting galleries near the tops of the minarets.
architecture
Bab al Bahrain links a formal civic frontage with the busy market streets behind it. The heritage authority describes its two wings as being joined by an archway, marking an entrance to Manama’s historic souq. The building once stood close to the harbour; later reclamation changed its relationship with the sea. Today its pale facade and central passage remain a recognisable city landmark. Look for the contrast between the rounded arch below and the straight lines of the upper windows.
archaeology
Qal'at al-Bahrain is a tell: a mound formed by successive layers of human occupation. Excavation has revealed domestic, public, commercial and religious structures beneath the later fort. The site was a capital of Dilmun and an important trading port, preserving several chapters in Bahrain's history.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre
architecture
Sheikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort is commonly known as Riffa Fort. Its rooms and courtyards belong to the history of settlement and government in Riffa. The heritage authority has used the fort to present the building’s history and the people associated with it. Here, a courtyard entrance shows the quieter details of fortified architecture: a stepped arch, small openings and a line of rounded battlements. These surviving spaces invite a closer look than the outer silhouette alone.
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