Al Masmak Palace
| Al Masmak Palace | |
|---|---|
قصر المصمك | |
Entrance to the fortress | |
| Alternative names | Masmak Fortress Masmak Palace |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Najdi architecture |
| Address | Qasr al-Masmak, Al Imam Turki ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammad, Dirah, Riyadh 12652 |
| Town or city | Riyadh |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Construction started | 1865 |
| Completed | 1895 |
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Al Masmak Palace (Arabic: قصر المصمك, romanized: Qaṣr al-Maṣmak), also called the Masmak Fortress or Masmak Fort, is a historic clay and mudbrick fort in the ad-Dirah neighborhood of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, located in close proximity to the al-Hukm Palace in the Qasr al-Hukm District. Commissioned in 1865 by Abdullah bin Faisal Al Saud, it was completed in 1895 following the takeover of the town by the Rashidi dynasty. The fortress was the main theatre for the Battle of Riyadh in 1902, which marked the prelude to the unification of Saudi Arabia. It was opened to the general public in 1995 after its conversion into a museum.