Qatar

One of the most widely known landmarks in Doha, the spiral-shaped Fanar building is centrally located near Souq Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art. It can be seen from a distance, especially in the evenings when its lighting accentuates the unique design of this beautifully unique piece of architecture. Fanar was once the largest mosque in the country. While it remains a functioning mosque, Fanar also hosts religious, education-related and social activities. At the cultural centre visitors can enjoy traditional coffee and learn about the Qatari lifestyle, the country’s heritage and culture.

Located at the point where the Middle East meets Asia, the compact peninsular state of Qatar has long been a melting pot of cultures. With a staggering array of cultural venues, including museums, galleries and public art, Qatar offers a potent mix of tradition and modernism. Spelt anciently, Katara is a self-styled cultural village nestled between the gleaming financial district of West Bay and the half-moon towers of The Pearl residential neighbourhood. Bordered by a vast beach on one side and the twin Katara Hills on the other, Katara is Doha’s go-to destination for art, culture and cuisine.

Located within MIA, Al Riwaq Gallery hosts exhibitions by the Qatar Museums network and has featured several groundbreaking exhibitions by artists such as Mohamed Al Mahdi, Damien Hirst, and Jaffar Al Oraibi.

Built on the site of Doha’s century old trading market, on the banks of the Wadi Musheireb, Souq Waqif feels like an anachronism, particularly against the backdrop of Doha’s dramatic modernist skyline. With its mud-daubed buildings, the market harkens to a bygone era while remaining a hub of activity, where commerce and gossip collide. Souq Waqif’s winding alleys offer a tableau of traditional street life.

Located in Doha’s central market, the Souq Waqif Art Centre showcases traditional Islamic and Middle Eastern art, offering workshops and studio spaces for aspiring artists seeking to learn the fundamentals of various art disciplines. The centre has distinguished itself for its direct relationship with the public through art presentations, exhibitions, and public courses throughout the year.

Located outside the city in a traditional style fort at Al Samriya Farm, the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum houses the Sheikh’s personal collection, with a body of works including Islamic art, Qatari heritage, vehicles, handmade carpets, and coins & currency, from over four continents. These diverse and eclectic objects tell the story of the museum’s founder, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim, as well as of humanity in general.

Adjacent to the walled coastal town of Al Zubarah, this 20th century fort is the youngest and most prominent feature of the Al Zubarah Archaeological Site, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A pristine example of a typical Arab fort, its one-meter-thick walls warded off invaders and helped keep rooms cool during the hot summer. This important site houses residential palaces, mosques, courtyard houses, fishermen’s huts, streets, double defensive walls, a harbour, a canal, and cemeteries.

Located to the northeast of Qatar, Al Jassasiya is the most impressive of Qatar’s dozen rock-carving sites. It comprises a total of 874 carvings, known as ‘petroglyphs’, the earliest thought to date from Neolithic times. What may appear to be a deserted sandstone quarry is a heritage site packed with mystery. Discovered around 1957, the rocky desert scape has distinct carvings stretching across an area 700 meters wide. The Al Jassasiya rock carvings feature various shapes, including rosettes, fish, ostriches and cup marks. Carvings of dhow boats, which remain in use, offer a direct link to a long-ago past. The cup marks are believed to represent vessels used to store pearls or play ancient board games known as Al Haloosa or Al Huwaila. The site is located in the North of Doha, an easy drive around 60 km away. You can drive north on Al Shamal Highway until you reach Exit 66. Take a right and continue at the intersection where you take a left turn. After about three kilometres, you will see the large fenced area that is Al Jassasiya, which you will have to walk into from this point.

Located west of Doha, in the centre of the peninsula, Dahl Al Misfir is one of Qatar’s most exciting natural sites. At 40 meters deep, it is considered the largest and deepest, yet accessible cave in Qatar. Formed largely of fibrous gypsum, it sometimes gives off a faint, otherworldly glow. Dahl Al Misfir is believed to have been formed 325,000 to 500,000 years ago during the mid-Pleistocene Era. Known for emitting a moon-like glow, this phosphorescence is the result of gypsum deposits found in the centre of the peninsula. These give rise to the geological phenomena known as ‘desert roses’ (clusters of roughly rose-shaped gypsum crystals).