Qatar Tourism Authority

Ancient Houses

House of Sheikh Abdullah bin Thani Al Thani

Description
To see a remarkable example of a traditional Qatari home, look no further than Al-Rayyan. The residence of Sheikh Abdullah bin Thani Al-Thani is very peculiar because of its two “majlis” to receive guests. One of them is an external room adjoined to the house while the other is an open-air platform in the courtyard, used during the hot season.
Location and access to the “majlis” rooms were carefully thought out to balance the welcoming character of Qataris and the privacy of their family. The indoor “majlis” is located outside of the wall surrounding the house so the owner could receive guests any time without disrupting the family.
To further protect the privacy of the family, all ground floor rooms only have windows that look inward toward the courtyard, and first floor rooms have colored glass windows to prevent people from seeing inside.
The house features a large courtyard in the middle with pavilions and high walls around the perimeter. This internal area served as the hub of the family’s domestic life and each pavilion had a specific purpose, with separate rooms reserved for women.
When this residence was built in 1935, Al-Rayyan -which is just on the outskirts of Doha - was considered a separate village from the capital city. The house was built on a site rich in underground water, enabling the residents to use a well to supply the building with water and to irrigate the vegetables.
The pavilions of this traditional residence give its visitors an idea of the traditional Qatari building technique. The thick walls, which help isolate the heat and keep the house cool, were built by overlapping raw pieces of coral rock and limestone, joining them with mud mortar and covering them with gypsum-based plaster.
The roof is made of four layers. The first consists of a series of “danchal” wood poles, often protected by bitumen. The second layer is made up of “basgijl,” which are woven bamboo strips. A close net of mangroves branches comprises the third layer and the roof is finished with a layer of compressed mud that protects the house from the sun during the hot seasons.
Another interesting feature of this technique is the use of poles of “danchal” wood held together with a rope in the construction of architraves. This increases the adherence of the mud mortar and plaster.
On the top of the building, traditional “marazims” protect the surfaces of the walls. These wooden channels stretch out from the roof to drain rainwater away during the desert’s rare but heavy storms.
Qatari authorities performed significant restoration work at this site in 2005.

Planning a visit
You can visit the outside of this residence. For more information about its future opening, call the Restoration Department at 429 17 11, Sunday through Thursday, from 8:00 to 13:00 hrs. When visiting the site, we suggest a visit to Education City, where you can enjoy examples of excellent contemporary architecture. If you have time, drive around outside the campus where you will discover other traditional houses featuring exquisite decorations and layouts.

UTM coordinates N 25° 19' 18.20" E 51° 26' 33.15"

Directions

The house is located on Al-Luqta Street, which turns into the road to Dukhan. While approaching the roundabout at Education City, you will see the house on your right.

From Heritage of Qatar

House of Sheikh Ghanim bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

Description

Majid bin Saed Al-Saed, one of the most important pearl merchants in Al-Wakra, built this beautiful and unique house at the beginning of the 20th century. Used to produce “debis”, which is a traditional date-based food, and also to sell and store merchandise, the residence was purchased by Sheikh Ghamin bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in 1960.

It was in the four rooms on the ground floor that the “debis” was produced. Called “madabes”, these rooms have parallel channels sunk 10-centimeters deep into the floor. These channels are linked together by a perpendicular canal near the entrance that connects to an underground pot in the corner.

In the process of making the “debis”, palm fronds were laid on the channels to create a smooth, flat base. The dates were then put in sacks made of palm leaves and stacked in piles up to two meters high. The weight of the upper sacks squashed the dates in the lower sacks, and their thick juice ran into the channels where it was collected and funnelled into the underground pot.

In Bedouin societies, “debis” is mainly used as a dressing for rice and fish. A few small shops still sell them today.

The rooms in the house that were not used to make “debis” were used to sell a diverse range of merchandise, including pearl diving equipment.

The house’s water supply came from a well in the courtyard. This large space was also used to store merchandise for sale. One of the corners of the courtyard has a staircase to a wide terrace on the upper floor that features a spectacular view of the nearby seashore, where mangroves form the basis of a fascinating ecosystem.

A “majlis” that was used by the first owner to receive guests and business partners is situated on the south side of the terrace. The “majlis” rooms were carefully planned to balance the welcoming character of Qataris with the privacy of their family. For this reason, the building has a separate entrance to the “majlis” on the south side that kept visitors from walking through the ground floor and disrupting the privacy of the owner.

“Badjeer,” or traditional Qatari air traps, were used to provide the house with natural air conditioning. The system was based on the construction of two parallel walls: one standing from the floor to halfway and the second hanging halfway down from the ceiling. The walls would overlap by 10 cm, with breathing room left in between. Although this method shelters the rooms from an external view, it allows wind to enter the house without dragging in any sediment. When necessary, the space between the two wall panels can be closed with a wooden shutter. On the top of both the “majlis” and the mosque, traditional “marazims” protect the walls. These wooden channels stretch out from the roof to drain rainwater away during the desert’s rare but heavy storms.

The thick walls, which help isolate heat and keep the house cool, were built by overlapping raw pieces of coral rock and limestone. The roof was finished with a layer of compressed mud, further protecting the house from the sun during the hot seasons.

It is possible to see these building techniques in greater detail either through a visit to the fishermen’s villages in the northwest or by viewing the 3D model of the Qatari mosque.

Many older residents of Al-Wakra remember when Majid bin Saed Al-Saed fitted the “majlis” with the first radio in town. Often people would gather together in the room and listen to the news.

Planning a visit

Visitors can enter the house 24-hours a day. Just ask the guard, who will be happy to let you in and explore the site on your own. To double check the opening hours, call the Restoration Department at 429 17 11, Sunday through Thursday, from 8:00 to 13:00 hrs. Besides visiting the house of Sheikh Ghanim, we recommend going to the nearby fish market, where you can buy different kinds of fresh fish and have it cooked for you in one of the shops. Traditional Qatari fishing boats called “dhows” bring this catch to the harbor early each morning.

Additional nearby attractions are the Abu Manaratain mosque and Al Wakra Sealine Market .

UTM coordinates N 25° 10' 20.48" E 51° 36' 39.93"

Directions

The building is located in Al-Wakra, 13 km south of Doha. Go to the Doha International Airport and take the road to Mesaieed. When you reach Al-Wakra and the Shells Roundabout, go to the next roundabout and make a U-turn. Take the first wide road on your right, called Al-Mathaf, then turn left at the roundabout into Al-Seef, and drive along the coastline for approximately 100 meters until you see the house on your left.

From Heritage of Qatar

House of Nasser bin Abdullah Al Misnad

Description

This house in Al-Khor is where Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned was born and raised. Her Highness is one of the most active contributors to the educational development and worldwide visibility of The State of Qatar. A high wall, embellished with Qatari-style battlements on its top, protects the house. These unique decorations evoke traditional incense burners or stylized leaves and flowers.

The house was built by her father Nasser bin Abdullah in the early second half of the 20th century. Its layout follows the traditional Qatari model for private residences. The family’s domestic life took place in several pavilions built around the perimeter of a central courtyard. Each pavilion had a specific purpose, and there were separate rooms for women.

The external wall and each unique pavilion provide an absorbing insight into the traditional Qatari building technique. The thick walls, which helped to isolate the heat and keep the house cool, were built by overlapping raw pieces of coral rock and limestone, joining them with mud mortar and covering them with gypsum-based plaster.

The roofs of the pavilions are made up of four layers: The first is a series of “danchal” wood poles, often protected by bitumen. The second is a layer of “basgijl”, which are woven bamboo strips. A close net of mangrove branches makes up the third layer, and the roof is topped with compressed mud that serves to protect the house from the sun during the hot seasons.

One of the most interesting features of this technique is the building of architraves with poles of “danchal” wood held together with rope. This increases the adherence of the mud mortar and plaster.

A visit to the fishermen’s villages in the northwest as well as the 3D model of the Qatari mosque clearly shows the features of this building technique.

Qatari authorities are currently developing a detailed master plan that will best preserve the site. It will then be handed over to the Qatari youth, so that the heritage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned will be remembered for years to come.

Planning a visit

You can also visit the “dhows” by the harbor and either enjoy a picnic at the playground by Al-Corniche or have lunch in one of the restaurants found in the city. On your way back to Doha, drive 15 km south to visit the old Simaisma mosque.

UTM coordinates N 25° 40' 56" E 51 30' 37.9" Directions

The site is located in Al-Khor, which is 55 km from Doha via the North Road or 45 km via Lusail Street. On Al-Khor Main Street, turn right at Al-Owaina and then left at the second street. You will see the house a few meters down on the right.

From Heritage of Qatar