By Imad Brohi
Just beyond the Kingdom’s eastern coast, history abounds in castles, museums, and local shops on the Arabian Gulf’s second-largest island.
Steps in to the Tarout Castle
Tarout Island is located approximately 40 km from Dhahran, off the coast of Qatif in the Eastern Province. It is the second largest island in the Arabian Gulf, second only to Bahrain, and one of the oldest sites inhabited by humans in the region.
Several antiquities have been found on the island with some dating back more than 5,000 years. Tarout Island is known more today for its fresh seafood market, buzzing local restaurants, and hospitable people.
A section of Tarout Castle.
Inside one of the three remaining towers.
Tarout Coffee with its mural painted walls just across Tarout Castle.
Matehaf Alferij Museum, a short walk from the Castle by the maze-like streets of Tarout Island.
Inside the Tarout Coffee.
Fishing boats of coast of Darin, Tarout Island.
A mosque on Tarout Island.
Fishing off the coast of Tarout Island.
Built in the 16th century
The most popular site on the island is the Tarout Castle. The structure is actually a fort with an uncertain history. While some believe that it was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century after their conquest in the region, others sources believe that it was actually built by the locals defending themselves from the Portuguese.
It may very likely have been built as a defense site earlier since the fort lies at the highest point on the island, later taken up by the Portuguese as a military base.
However, the actual history of the site goes back much farther. The castle was built on the rubbles of an ancient site near a water well “Ain al Awda,” which still exists today, but it is fenced off. The earliest settlement on the site dates back to more than 5,000 years when the island was inhabited by the Dilmun Civilization.
Although, inscriptions and relics found at the base of the castle site suggest that its foundations may have been established as far back as 5,000 BC. Some sources suggest that the castle was built on the base of a Phoenician temple dedicated for the goddess Astarte (or Ishtar), which the name Tarout is also derived from. This should not come as a surprise since pre-Islamic Arabia was home to many gods and goddesses of Mesopotamian origins.
The Tarout Castle as it stands today is an oval shaped structure with an area of approximately 600 m2. Originally built with four towers, only three remain today as one was destroyed in the battle. The walls are built with brick, gypsum, sea mud, and local coastal rocks.
The castle was previously closed for renovation, but it is now open for visitors. A small Tarouti café with mural painted walls operates just across the castle, treating visitors with Arabic coffee and tea. Not far from the castle, through the thin maze-like streets of Tarout is the Matehaf Alferij Museum, run by a local Tarouti family with a fine collection of ancient ornaments and souvenirs.
Sunrise from Sanabis
For early risers, I highly recommend viewing the sunrise from Sanabis in the wintertime. Sanabis is one of the villages on the East Coast of Tarout, with palm trees and farms (thanks to its fertile soil) and some excellent fishing places.
The coast is home to mangroves and is frequented by flamingos during the winter months for its source of crustaceans. Seafood enthusiasts could pick some fresh seafood from the fish market or enjoy them in one of the local restaurants.
— The Arabian Sun: March 2, 2022 | Vol. LXXVII, No. 9