The Ruler of Sharjah inaugurates the Al Mudarassah Tower in the city of Al Dhaid

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, today opened the Al-Madarsa Tower, located at the northeastern entrance to the oasis city of Al Dhaid, after its restoration.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah unveiled the memorial curtain to mark the opening of the tower, the restoration of which is an extension of His Highness’s vision of preserving cultural heritage and transforming it into a living landmark that conveys to generations the story of the place and the people, and enhances Sharjah’s position on the cultural tourism map regionally and internationally.

His Highness viewed a group of pictures that told the story of the tower’s restoration and the work it witnessed. His Highness saw a group of traditional agricultural professions and works that come within the preservation of cultural heritage and its transmission to generations, and reflect the ability to benefit from all agricultural and palm products as a source of food security in the past.

His Highness continued the art of Al Wanna, which is one of the traditional performing arts, and expressed in a number of poems celebrating the opening of the tower and various projects in the city of Al Dhaid, and praising the efforts of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.

The tower is located within a total area of ​​6,346 square metres, and is surrounded by landscaped green spaces with an area of ​​1,545 square metres. It includes multiple facilities that were considered the first line of defense for the region. It has been restored and preserved according to the original urban style, to protect the urban heritage and preserve the memory of the place as it is an integral part of the emirate’s identity.

The “Al-Madarsa Tower” is one of the historical towers that formed part of the traditional protection system of Al Dhaid Oasis and played a pivotal role in monitoring and securing the agricultural area, in addition to protecting water sources and crops, within an integrated defense system. In December 2023, the site of Al-Dhaid Fort and Falaj Al-Dhaid, including Al-Madarsa Tower, was included in the World Islamic Heritage List of ISESCO, in international recognition that confirms the historical and cultural value of the site, and its importance as a model. For defensive architecture associated with an agricultural environment.

Architecturally, the Mudarara Tower is distinguished by the traditional local style based on building materials available in the surrounding environment. It was built from local clay with a cylindrical structure of medium height. The walls are thick cylindrical, supported by a lower stone layer to protect against erosion. The base is based on a natural hill or compacted soil to give height and better visibility.

The tower consists of a high entrance for defense purposes, and several floors, topped by a high roof designated for defensive purposes, where small defensive windows are distributed in a grid to allow surveillance and early warning. The tower also contains small rectangular vertical openings used for ventilation and shooting, and openings for throwing.

The tower includes a narrow internal staircase, which is used to reach the roof for observation and defense purposes. Above the walls are defensive balconies that usually consist of alternating protruding and recessed parts, providing protection for the defenders and enhancing the field of shooting and observation. The walls of the tower are also surrounded by its original remains, which show the extent of the natural erosion that has occurred on them over time, which shows the antiquity of the building and its historical authenticity.

The site was provided with lighting poles surrounding the tower and along the corridors, highlighting the beauty of the area, adding a comfortable visual character to visitors, and highlighting the area from distant locations.

The restoration work for the tower included rehabilitating the tower in accordance with approved archaeological standards, using traditional materials and techniques, while preserving its original architectural elements, including the cylindrical clay walls, the high entrance, and observation and shooting holes, without compromising its historical and architectural value.

The opening of the tower was attended, in addition to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, by Sheikh Salem bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Advisor in the Office of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Majid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Suburbs Affairs Department, Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council, Sheikh Sultan bin Abdullah bin Salem Al Qasimi, Director of the Department of Statistics and Community Development, Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Federal National Council Affairs, and Abdullah Muhair. Al Ketbi, Minister of Federal Supreme Council Affairs, and a number of senior officials and notables from the region.