Al-Dosariyah Castle

Al-Dosariyah Castle is a historic fort on the top of a hill in the city of Jazan, capital of the region of the same name in the far south-west of Saudi Arabia. The hill overlooks the city's districts, its port and the Red Sea coast, which has made the castle one of the clearest landmarks on the Jazan skyline.

Accounts of when it was built differ. Some sources trace its origin to the Ottoman period, while its present form and use are associated with the reign of King Abdulaziz in the first half of the twentieth century, when it served as a military and administrative post watching over the city and the coast. The castle is a roughly square stone building with round towers strengthening its corners. Its rooms are arranged around an inner courtyard, and the walls have openings for observation and defence.

Visitors climb the hill to see the building from outside and inside and to look over the city and the sea from its surroundings. For the people of Jazan, Al-Dosariyah Castle is one of the symbols of their city and its history.