Hail, Qasr al-Qishla

History

Qasr al-Qishla was built in 1360 AH / 1941, under King ʿAbd al-ʿAziz, in about a year and a half. It is a rammed-earth barracks set on a stone base. Its walls are about 10 m high. It has eight round towers 12 m high, two levels and 143 rooms. In the centre there is a mosque with three rows of columns. There was also a drill yard and a workshop for vehicles.

The building served as a garrison and arms depot for the Saudi army, after Hail joined the Saudi state in 1921. It marks the transition from the emirate of the Al Rashid to the Saudi state.

Not far away, in the old Barzan souk, two round rammed-earth towers can still be seen. They are the only remains of the palace of the Al Rashid emirs. The palace was begun in 1808 and completed under Emir Talal. European travellers described it in the 19th century (Palgrave in 1862, Doughty in 1877, Lady Anne Blunt in 1879). It was demolished after 1921, and al-Qishla was built afterwards.

The restoration of al-Qishla began in 2017. The building is open to the public, especially during the Hail cultural season.

What is certain and what is not

• Certain: the date of construction (1360 AH / 1941), the number of towers and rooms, the restoration from 2017 onwards. The location of the Barzan palace in the souk.
• Uncertain: the figures for the area of al-Qishla differ between sources. The detailed description of the Barzan palace rests on the travellers' accounts. This building has no link with the sira.

Sources

1. Saudipedia, “Al-Qishlah Palace”.
2. Wikipedia (en), “Barzan Palace” and “Ha'il”.