Al-Muazzam Fort in the Tabuk region typifies the detail of Islamic architecture and reflects the interest of the late Islamic eras in serving pilgrims on the Levant route.
The fort was established in 1031 A.H. (1622 A.D.) as a station for pilgrims and Umrah performers to rest. It also served as a headquarters for military barracks to secure the way to and from Madinah and Makkah.
Its total area is 10,000 square meters and its walls, which were built in a rectangular shape, store memories spanning more than four centuries. In the middle of the fort, a large yard is surrounded by rooms, staircases and upper passages.
Refined stones were used to build the fort, which has two floors topped by a protective wall as high as the internal corridor. Its four facades have no windows except for small openings that were once used to defend the fort.
It includes the pond of Al-Muazzam and the Hijaz railway station. Reddish-yellow carved stone was used to construct the fort, which bears four foundation inscriptions.
Al-Muazzam Fort’s distinctive large entrance includes an arch and defensive openings.
The fort was visited by many well-known travelers and explorers, including Germany’s Julius Oetting in 1301 A.H. (1884 A.D.), who was accompanied by France’s Charles Huber. The trip was documented in the book “A Journey in the Arabian Peninsula.”
