Fujairah Fort stands on a rocky hill above Fujairah city, a short distance from the coast, and is the largest historic fort in the United Arab Emirates. It is built of mud brick on a stone base, with gypsum plaster and a surrounding wall, and it served as the residence and defensive seat of the ruling family.
Structure
The fort has a roughly circular plan and several round and square towers, with an inner courtyard and a well. The walls are thick and the openings small, a design intended for defence in a climate of extreme heat. The main tower carries openings used for observation and for firing, and the fort was part of a defensive system that included the watchtowers on the ridges around the town.
Around the fort
The historic quarter at the foot of the fort has been restored as a heritage village, with reconstructed traditional houses, a market area and displays on craft and daily life. The site is one of the emirate's principal visitor attractions and is regularly used for cultural events.
Dating and restoration
The fort is generally dated to the later period of the emirate's history — the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries — though the hill itself has earlier occupation. It has been restored several times, most substantially under the emirate's heritage programme, and is now maintained as a monument.