Zubara (Az Zubarah) was Qatar's premier settlement up to the end of the 19th century and Bahrain's ruling family, the Al-Khalifa, had controlled it for some 200 years. The Al-Thani family (from Qatar) contested it and frequent clashes were the result. In 1938 the Al-Thani's finally took control over Zubara and constructed the fort in order to be able to defend the town. The military used the fort up to well into the 1980's, but later it was turned into a museum. Items, mostly potsherds found around the fort, are on display in several rooms around the fort's courtyard.
The ruins of coastal fortifications, thought to be from the 17th or 18th century, can be seen several kilometers beyond. At Zubara you can also see the excavated remains of an ancient city. In all, Zubara is an important place in Qatar's history, but only some ruins remain as a legacy.
There is no accommodation in Zubara. The town is on Qatar's northwestern coast, some 90 km northwest of ad-Dauha (Doha).
Find a flight to Az Zubarah