#dirah

The building had a major renovation in 1980 and has officially become a museum in 1995. 

The central theme of this restored clay and mud-brick fort turned museum is the heroism and bravery of King Abdulaziz in the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage’s efforts in preserving the kingdom’s culture,  heritage, and history.

The display halls of the museum will acquaint visitors with various Saudi historical treasures, pieces of ancient armament, and agricultural artifacts.

A section of the museum is allotted for a documentary movies about Riyadh restoration and a comprehensive presentation of the museum’s photos and maps back to its glorious and darkest days.

Some of the most notable visits that took place at this very fort were from Prime Ministers Sri Narendra Modi (of India) in April 2016 and Stephan Loven (of Sweden) in February 2013 as well the Chinese Delegation’s headed by Minister Wuu Yuiliang in December 2012.

Completing the series is, of course, The Wandering Feet & Mind, Ace Galleta (of alas_biscuit traveler), Alvin Ramos, and Marwin Gatchalian’s rowdy visit last 02 January 2016.

Today, the fort, which is located in Al Murabba (a few kilometers away from Batha), comprise one of buildings that form the King Abd al-Aziz Historical Centre, dubbed as the birthplace of modern Saudi nation, and is found right beside what is being currently considered England’s Big Ben counterpart in the Saudi Arabia’s capital city: Riyadh Clock Tower. It is also regarded as an important landmark in the Kingdom.

The blogger behind Stories of the Wandering Feet and Mind History as his second favorite subject and this is being reinforced each time he visits a museum or any place that holds historical significance.

This explains why he came back to this museum after just three months, with different travel buddies (thechinitowander of onel tuscano’s travel blog and charliedelta of YEY for Charlie), or on 05 March 2016.

Masmak Fort is open for visits in the morning from 8:00 AM to 2:30 AM  and in the evening from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM daily. 

Note that the grand mosque (“Street Photography in Dirah“), Dirah Souks (“The Very Colorful And Nitid Land Of Golden Souqs in Dirah“) and Chop Chop Square, which are equally famous tourist spots in the Kingdom, are all lying close to this fort.

Related Articles

Riyadh Museums (sauditourism.sa)

Masmak Fort (kristinewanders.com)

Masmak Fort  (sacm.org.au)

Masmak Fort, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (anothercappuccino.com)

Top 5 Spots for Nature Lovers in Riyadh

We, humans, have an intrinsic emotional need to connect with nature (also known as biophilia) and this has been repeatedly proven through researches or reviews such as “Health benefits of urban vegetation and green space: Research roundup”; “Environmental Benefits of Green Space – Project Evergreen”; “Health benefits of green spaces in the living environment: A systematic review of…

Street Photography in Dirah: A Prologue to the “Top 5 Spots for Nature Lovers in Riyadh”

I got into a no blogging phase after my last post (Calaguas Island Tour’s Day 2: The Time of Our Lives) on September 12 due to working on some higher priorities so to speak. That was more than two months now.

A few days ago, I tried so hard to get back into blogging after the long pause. It was foiling…I wrote different blog titles but none of them reached the draft stage. Tonight, I just dived…

1. Always post these rules! 2. Answer the questions given by the person who tagged you. 3. Write 11 questions of your own. 4. Tag 11 people

Thanks @hansbekhart for tagging me!

1. What's the nicest thing that happened to you lately? The other night I was out getting silly drunk with this friend of mine and she kind of gushed about how important our friendship is to her and I got to tell her how important our friendship is to me too and it was awesome.

2. Would you say your tumblr is a fair representation of the "real you"? I'm super real about my politics and my nerd love on tumblr, so yes to that.  My job would hella frown on my fandom activity though, so the "real me" will never contain any potentially personally identifying info.

3. What's the easiest way to get under your skin? Talk over me.  DO NOT, please.

4. What's your biggest inspiration in life? Tbh right now it's Alexander Hamilton as written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

5. What's the riskiest thing you've ever done? I have a really risky desk job, go figure.  My job is so weird, so scary, and so rewarding, I'd explain it but they would fiiiiiiiiire my ass.

6. Which character do you relate to most profoundly (this is not necessarily the same as your fave character) and why? Steve Rogers and also Sam Wilson.  Previously Remus Lupin and also Nymphadora Tonks.  I try really hard and I believe really fiercely and I often seem quiet but I'm an explosion (of giggles, of flirting, of rage) waiting for a strategic time and place.  I don't bleed on other people, and I'm learning how to ask for help when I need it.

7. Link me to a fic that deeply moved you; why'd you find it so affecting? I started to write a long list of recs, and then I came back to the question of a fic that deeply moved me.  I've loved and enjoyed and been entertained by a lot of great fics this year.  But one that tugged at me, soothed me and made me uncomfortable at the same time, and importantly, one that you've probably never come across before, is Until You've Dealt Some Death by impertinence. 62k words of Peggy/Howard, if you can believe it.

This is a caper fic, deeply political, an insightful character study, and not romantic until suddenly it is.  Peggy/Howard is not generally my deal, and it's not really Peggy's either until suddenly it is.  Peggy Carter, founding Director of SHIELD, in a marriage of convenience to Howard Stark so the US government will give her enough funding to build the world's premiere covert intelligence agency.  Peggy is dealing with sexism so pervasive that she up and marries Howard in order to do her job.  Peggy's particular mix of competence and uncertainty here just tugs at me, pokes at my sore spots.  If you like plotty and political, you will love this fic, please read it and give it lots of attention.  (Also the PORN y'all, damn Howard Stark loves eating pussy more than I do)

Also! Make a Thing Go Right, my favorite fic in this fandom, and For the Dead There Is No Story, both by my dear fandom friend hansbekhart who tagged me in this meme!

8. What is your supervillain origin story? Workplace discrimination, I will go to fuckin battle over that shit y'all.

9. What's your go to karaoke song? Sweet Caroline

10. If you could only eat one kind of meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Anything involving sweet potatoes

11. What are you afraid of? (existential stuff or things like bugs and the dark, any kind of answer will suffice) Dying alone, spiders

I’m tagging these folks (no pressure! please msg me if you don’t wanna be tagged in this stuff!), use the same questions bc I don’t have better ideas :)

D - Dancing Queen, Abba I - I Can Hear the Bells, Hairspray R - Ready or Not, the Fugees A - Angel, Massive Attack H - Hold My Hand, Hootie and the Blowfish I cheated and looked through iTunes, maybe that’s not cheating tho I dunno

2. why did you pick your url?

I’ve had this username for years and years, was originally about the Nirvana album. I’ve had this username since before I was on LIVEJOURNAL let alone tumblr omg I am so old

3. what’s your middle name?

Nah

4. if you could be a fictional/fairy tale being, what would you be?

I’d be magically free of all body image issues and I’d never be uncomfortably cold, whatever being has that stuff

5. favorite color?

greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen

6. favorite song?

Non-Stop, omg I cannot stop myself I’ve been listening to all of Hamilton, um, non-stop

7. Top 4 Fandoms

Marvel, obvs

Hamilton fandom amuses me all to hell but I’m not really in it

Harry Potter 2kforever

and my old Heroes fics still get kudos every now and then and that makes me really happy

8. Why do you enjoy tumblr?

I feel like I’m under a microscope in other parts of my life and I fucking love that I can hang out with y’all and talk about serious things and obsess over 4 seconds of a movie trailer and enjoy really exceptional porn and coo over cute things and just do whatever, no pressure

9. tag 9 mutuals

(optional as always!)