Mezyad Fort: A Nineteenth-Century Fort in Al Ain
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.2
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- Unclassified
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Fort
History
Mezyad Fort is a nineteenth-century fort in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, built by the Al Mazayida, a group of the Al Nawasir associated with the Al Ain area. It stands at the foothills of Jebel Hafeet, the prominent mountain overlooking Al Ain, west of Mezyad and near Green Mubazzarah.
The fort occupies a rectangular enclosure of approximately 3,600 square metres. Three elevated cylindrical watchtowers rise from three of its corners, while the enclosed courtyard contains a palm plantation. From the towers, the surrounding palm plantations and the eastern plain can be viewed.
Mezyad Fort has been restored so that its historical character can be understood by visitors. It is described as one of the largest forts in the region, and its preserved form provides a surviving example of the nineteenth-century fortified architecture associated with Al Ain.
