Qatar is a small emirate in the Persian Gulf. Like many other states in the Middle East, he was lucky - there are gas and oil reserves on its territory. And the state manages this wealth ideally from the point of view of a tourist - it invests a lot of money in the development of tourist infrastructure, so there is where to relax, and there is something to see.
Top 10 attractions in Qatar
Doha Fort (Al-Kut) and Ethnographic Museum
This place looks like a real ancient Moorish-style fortress: a square fort, with four defensive towers from which you can shell both the coast and the courtyard. In fact, this building was built by the Turks in 1880. The garrison, the police unit and the prison were located here. Even the mosque, which was created specifically for prisoners, has no ceiling so that the prayer can be watched from the watchtowers.
Until 1927, the building was used as a prison, and then it was abandoned. Now it has been restored, and the collections of the Ethnographic Museum are located here. Its exposition includes old photographs telling about the prison past of the fort, a collection of ancient weapons, products of traditional Qatari crafts and an exhibition of modern painting.
Museum of Islamic Art
The museum building is one of the masterpieces of modern urbanism, created in 2007. It was built by two architects: the exterior of the building belongs to the American Bei Yumin, and the interior space and interiors - to the Frenchman J.-M. Wilmott. The silhouette is a classic Arab building, unmistakably built with tradition in mind, while clearly belonging to the architecture of the 21st century. The museum looks especially beautiful in the evening with illumination.
The internal space is also not easily organized: the halls are deprived of general lighting, and only individual exhibits are illuminated here with directed beams of light. The exposition contains 3d installations (for example, the reconstruction of the famous Jordanian Palmyra) and interactive elements.
The museum contains a rich collection of art from Arab countries: jewelry, carpets, chasing, handwritten books with miniatures. The halls of calligraphy and Syrian art are especially impressive. The museum collaborates with other well-known museums and periodically holds exhibitions from their oriental collections, for example, from the Louvre.
Doha Grand Mosque
This is another example of the combination of traditional Arabic and modern architecture. The building was built in the 50s of the XX century. A feature is the abundance of identical low domes (they decorate the entire perimeter of the building) against the background of one high minaret, which was designed so as to most of all resemble a coastal lighthouse. The inner courtyard is also decorated with domes invisible from the outside.
The interior is quite simple, but it is seeming simplicity: it is luxurious and elegant, simply made in a modern style, without an abundance of ornaments and details. Not the entire volume is available for non-Muslims, but tourists can go to one of the parts of the territory.
The mosque is very beautifully illuminated in the evenings, the color of the illumination periodically changes, so that the spectacle is incredible. And from the mosque itself there are wonderful views of the city and the fort.
Mounds of Umm-Salal-Ali
Excavations are located 40 km north of Doha. The settlement that once existed here belongs to the pre-Muslim era and dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. NS.
The first people on the territory of Arabia appeared about one and a half million years ago, then the climate here was much better. It became deserted and arid due to the Ice Age. But even at the time when a settlement arose here, which is being studied by archaeologists, about five thousand years ago, there were much more forests and fertile lands in Arabia. On the territory of the peninsula, there were several large states that traded with the known world and built their cities from raw clay bricks. The remains of one of these cities are now being excavated in Qatar. Perhaps these findings will serve as material for new discoveries in history, because so far it is known only about the existence of a high civilization at this time in the west and south of the Arabian Peninsula, and not in the east.
Al Zubar, or Zubar
Al Zubar is a medieval city that dates back to the 9th century AD. e, but reached its peak by the 18th century. Then it became a major trade center: trade routes crossed here, leading from Egypt and the western parts of the Arabian Peninsula to its northeast. In addition, the city has become a center for pearl fishing, as well as a center for the production of molasses. At the beginning of the 19th century, the city was abandoned, began to collapse and become covered with a layer of sand.
It experienced a revival only before the Second World War: in 1938, a new fort with a small garrison was erected on the site of the old fortifications. And already at the end of the 20th century, full-scale excavations began here. Port buildings, palaces, mosques, the remains of warehouses and craft workshops have been opened.
Since 2013, Al Zubar has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and is now gradually turning into a promoted tourist site. The old fort has become a museum, where you can see objects found during excavations here and watch a film about the history of the city. Some of the excavations are open, mothballed and accessible for inspection.
Al-Takir mangrove forests
Despite the fact that Qatar is one of the most desert countries in Arabia and is rather poor in terms of flora and fauna, there are exceptions.
To the north of the city of Al Khor lies the Al Takir oasis, which is in stark contrast to the surrounding desert: there is a lot of water and extensive mangrove forests. True, this water is brackish: the peculiarity of mangroves is that they can grow only in a mixture of salty sea and fresh water. Many fish are found in the mangrove waters, so fishing tours are organized here. But the most important thing is the abundance of waterfowl that nest here. In order to see them, they usually swim in the thickets of mangroves on kayak boats. The visiting card of this place is pink flamingos nesting among the mangroves.
Khor Al Adaid Inland Sea
60 km from Doha, there is the deep Khor Al Adaid Bay, which is called the "Inland Sea" here. Indeed, this body of water is connected with the outer sea only by a rather narrow strait, and in fact is a salt lake.
This place is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List for its unique landscape and fauna. Oryx antelopes graze along the banks, rare turtles live in the sand, and numerous birds of prey and waterfowl nest near the water. The oryx antelope and the ravenous falcon are symbols of the fauna of Qatar.
There are no roads here, you can only get there by jeep along the sand dunes, but such excursions exist, and there are even comfortable hotels on the very edge of the desert and the sea. In addition, it is here that the most famous annual sports competition in Qatar - Al Adaid Desert Challenge - is held. Cyclists and desert runners compete in them.
Pearl Qatar
Of course, first of all, people go to Qatar for a beach holiday - here it is somewhat cheaper than in other countries of the Persian Gulf, but no less luxurious.
The most expensive, prestigious and beautiful place is considered the Pearl of Qatar - an artificial island connected to the mainland by a road. Inside this island there are islands: round in round bays, there are three of them. Indeed, most of all it resembles the shell of the shell, which contains precious pearls. The most luxurious hotels in the country are located here. The length of the local pedestrian promenade, around which expensive boutiques and restaurants are concentrated, is three and a half kilometers.
In addition to the three large pearls, there are 9 small ones: small islands that are separate from the rest, in the sea. One of the lagoons has its own mini-Venice, with canals and luxurious palazzo. The construction of the complex cost $ 15 billion. The resort was officially opened in 2015 and continues to develop actively. There are not only hotels, but also simply luxurious residential buildings where apartments are for sale.
Cave of Light Dal-al-Mesfer
Dal al-Mesfer is the only cave in Qatar, but so beautiful and interesting that it is impossible to miss it. Typically, the caves on the Arabian Peninsula are built of sandstone. But here the cave is in gypsum deposits. Gypsum is a sedimentary rock, once formed at the bottom of the sea, gypsum has a characteristic "glassy" luster and the ability to "glow" from the smallest bit of light.
The Dal al-Mesfer cave is 40 meters deep, light wells are cut in it and therefore it is all filled with light. In addition, there are numerous "desert roses" - gypsum crystals, most of all similar to a flower. Such "flowers" are formed only in deserts, in those places where sand is mixed with gypsum. Short desert rains wash away the sand and cause the gypsum to concentrate into crystals. In Dal al-Mesfer, there are many such formations along the walls.
Al Khor Park Amusement Park
Al Khor Park is the largest and most interesting amusement park in the country, designed for families and sports. Here you can take a break from the heat: it is irrigated by numerous fountains, and there is even a real waterfall. There is a very large children's play area with various attractions, entertainment for adults: golf, basketball and even a small ice rink! There is a mini-train on the territory.
In addition, all this splendor is combined with the zoo: there is an aviary for exotic birds and an aviary with ungulates. Of course, here you can see Arabian oryx antelopes, but besides this, there are zebras, and goats, and emu ostriches, and peacocks. So trekking to this park is great fun for the whole day, especially for children.
