Kingdom of Bahrain
4,000 years of human occupation
The fort of Qal'at al-Bahrain, on the north coast of Bahrain, was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. The fort is located atop a 17.5-hectare artificial hill that has been built up over more than 4,000 years of continuous human occupation at this location. The site is the former capital of the Dilmun civilization, and one of the most important archaeological sites of the Bahrain Archipelago. Excavation over the past 50 years has revealed residential, public, commercial, religious and military structures that testify to the importance of the site over the centuries. Qal'at al-Bahrain became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
