Masmak Fortress

he Masmak Fortress is a 19th-century mud fortress at the heart of Al-Bathaa, Riyadh's old quarter. In the early 19th century the building was the focus of an historic stuggle for power between the ruling Al Saud family and the rival Al Rashid dynasty. Today it is part of the King Abd al-Aziz Historical Centre and houses collections of traditional dress and crafts, a diwan or sitting room with an open courtyard and a working well. It was extensively renovated in the 1980s.