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Al Khor Towers
The Al Khor Towers are three historical watchtowers found on Qatar's eastern coast, in the city of Al Khor. Having been built overlooking the Al Khor Harbour, their purpose was defensive; not only keeping watch over incoming ships, but also positioned to observe the Ain Hleetan Well. This particular well, believed to confer magical properties unto those who nourished themselves with its water, was the primary lifeline for settlement at Al Khor. History The towers are thought to date to c. 1900. Architecture Their walls are roughly -thick. Barrel-like in shape, the materials used to construct them was a mixture of mud and locally derived stone. They are each approximately -tall, allowing the guards stationed atop them with an ideal vantage point. Arrow-shaped designs were carved into the parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Watchtower
A watchtower or watch tower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to provide a high, safe place from which a sentinel or guard may observe the surrounding area. In some cases, non-military towers, such as religious towers, may also be used as watchtowers. History Military watchtowers The Romans built numerous towers as part of a system of communications, one example being the towers along Hadrian's Wall in Britain. Romans built many lighthouses, such as the Tower of Hercules in northern Spain, which survives to this day as a working building, and the equally famous lighthouse at Dover Castle, which survives to about half its original height as a ruin. In medieval Europe, many castles and manor houses, or similar fortified buildings, were equipped with watchtowers. In some of the manor houses of wester ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares its sole land border with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. The Gulf of Bahrain, an inlet of the Persian Gulf, separates Qatar from nearby Bahrain. The capital is Doha, home to over 80% of the country's inhabitants, and the land area is mostly made up of flat, low-lying desert. Qatar has been ruled as a hereditary monarchy by the House of Thani since Mohammed bin Thani signed a treaty with the British in 1868 that recognised its separate status. Following Ottoman rule, Qatar became a British protectorate in 1916, and gained independence in 1971. The current emir is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who holds nearly all executive and legislative authority under the Constitution of Qat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al Khor (city)
Al Khor ( ar, الخور) is a coastal city in northern Qatar, located 50 kilometres north of the capital, Doha. Considered one of Qatar's largest cities, it is the capital city of the municipality of Al Khor. The name of the city means creek in Arabic; it was given this name because the original settlement was built on a creek. Al Khor is home to many employees of the oil industry due to its proximity to Qatar's northern oil and natural gas fields and to Ras Laffan Industrial City. It was also the venue for the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. History Historically, Al Khor was ruled by the Al Muhannadi, a tribe which consists of several Bedouin families. According to oral tradition, Al Khor was first settled by the Al Muhannadi tribe in the late 18th century. The settlement expanded its borders after one of their hunting groups discovered a substantial water source near the coast in the mid-19th century. This led them to construct Ain Hleetan Well, which helped susta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Well
A well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn up by a pump, or using containers, such as buckets or large water bags that are raised mechanically or by hand. Water can also be injected back into the aquifer through the well. Wells were first constructed at least eight thousand years ago and historically vary in construction from a simple scoop in the sediment of a dry watercourse to the qanats of Iran, and the stepwells and sakiehs of India. Placing a lining in the well shaft helps create stability, and linings of wood or wickerwork date back at least as far as the Iron Age. Wells have traditionally been sunk by hand digging, as is still the case in rural areas of the developing world. These wells are inexpensive and low-tech as they use mostly manual labour, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parapet
A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). Where extending above a roof, a parapet may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the edge line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a fire wall or party wall. Parapets were originally used to defend buildings from military attack, but today they are primarily used as guard rails, to conceal rooftop equipment, reduce wind loads on the roof, and to prevent the spread of fires. In the Bible the Hebrews are obligated to build a parapet on the roof of their houses to prevent people falling (Deuteronomy 22:8). Parapet types Parapets may be plain, embattled, perforated or panelled, which are not mutually exclusive terms. *Plain parapets are upward extensions of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al Khor
Al Khor ( ar, الخور; also spelled ''Al Khawr''), officially Al Khor and Al Thakhira, is a municipality in coastal northeastern Qatar. Al Khor City, the municipal seat, is located in the northeast coast of Qatar, around from the capital, Doha and it is considered to be one of the major cities in Qatar. Al Thakhira is the second largest settlement in the municipality after Al Khor City. The region was ruled by the Al Muhannadi tribe, which consists of seven Bedouin families, before Qatar gained its independence in 1971. Tourism has been increasing in recent years owing to the municipality's various resorts, natural areas and cultural attractions. Fishing was the historical mainstay of most of the municipality's inhabitants. Etymology Al Khor Municipality derives its name from the city of the same name. In Arabic, ''Al Khawr'' means bay; it was so named because Al Khor City was near a bay. Formerly, the city was known as "Khor Al-Shaqiq". History Al Khor Municipality was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
