Abu Arish Castle: An attraction for tourists and enthusiasts of history and ancient architecture

Jazan province is home to numerous historic castles that constitute a long historical legacy spanning ages and a significant civilizational and tourist landmark in the region.

They represent the society’s identity, values and traditions, which are reflected in the buildings’ details and architecture dating back centuries. They contain rocks, columns, pottery, writings, inscriptions and special decoration patterns, turning them into tourist attractions for charming nature lovers and human heritage enthusiasts.

The historic castle in Abu Arish, located 33 kilometers away from the city of Jazan, dates back hundreds of years. It is a prominent example of the region’s rich historical and civilizational heritage and one of its most significant tourist attractions for visitors as well as history and ancient architecture enthusiasts.

The castle is square-shaped with a side length of 40 meters. It is supported by circular towers found at each of its corners. The upper part of its outer wall contains openings used for observation.

The castle, some parts of which are still standing tall to this day, was built using burnt-clay bricks. Local building materials were used by skilled workers from the region to use burnt-clay bricks in building the castle’s walls, openings, towers and arches, as this was the most common style used in that region’s ancient cities.

The columns used in the construction of the circular towers were reinforced with rocks. These towers were used in guard operations and garrisons. This style was common in castles found along the coast of the Red Sea.

Additionally, stems of Doum Palm trees were used in the construction of the castle’s roofs. These trees are widely spread in the region, especially in the area surrounding the Jazan Valley in the south.

Decoration patterns were little used in this castle due to its main function, which tended to use architectural features and decorations similar to the ones found in palaces and residential buildings.