Mezeiraa

Mezeiraa

The Mezairaa Fortress is located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, in an area known as the Liwa Oasis. The Liwa oasis is actually made up of several smaller oases that form an arch for about 110 kilometers along the northern edge of the Empty Quarter. These oases' water has always been a valuable commodity, so in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries the local Bani Yas tribes began to build forts and watchtowers to defend their wells and offer shelter from nomadic tribes roaming the desert. The walls of the fortress were built of adobe and cob, with palm tree logs for the ceilings and gypsum for the details. It is a square fortress, very similar to a typical castle. Round towers stand on three corners. It is almost identical to the design of the Attab fort and the Al Jabbana fort. The Mezairaa Fort has recently undergone a renovation under the auspices of the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism of Abu Dhabi, and under the patronage of the reigning Sheikh himself, who is very interested in preserving its historical heritage. The restoration was very well done, to the extent that it is doubtful whether it is faithful to the original. One thing is for sure, historical data is hard to come by, so the restorers had to make decisions to restore the whole building. The Liwa Oasis is also home to Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. The area around Liwa has been the location for several films, east of the oasis, in the Rub' Al Khali desert, was the filming location for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it was used to represent Jakku. The Liwa desert landscape was filmed for the representation of the planet Arrakis in the 2021 film Dune.