The Majesty of the Al Maqta Fort

Published on 10 Jul 2025

Abu Dhabi is one of the fastest-growing travel destinations in the Middle East. If you are planning a visit to Abu Dhabi then there are a number of tourist attractions which you should visit and Al Maqta Fort is one of them. Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second largest city in the United Arab Emirates. Year-round sunshine, excellent beaches, spectacular sand dunes and an upbeat cosmopolitan lifestyle await every visitor in Abu Dhabi. These, combined with distinctive Arabian hospitality, mystique and world-class infrastructure make Abu Dhabi an exciting destination for experienced and novice travellers.

Contrast to the glamorous city lifestyle, Abu Dhabi has a green and tranquil serenity that comforts the nature lovers. The greenery, old monuments, and forts add aestheticism to the luxurious oil-producing city.

Al Maqta Fort is one the leading destinations in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The Al Maqta Fort unveils the rich culture, heritage, and history of the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. It is an interesting point of attraction for all those people who are interested in knowing the history, culture, and traditions of the country’s development. The Al Maqta Fort, here, is among one of the few attractions of Abu Dhabi, that clearly portrays the bygone era of the city’s evolution. The tourists love to explore this enigmatic landmark in Abu Dhabi. Research scholars from around the world visit here to study about the city’s evolution from being a tribal colony to world’s biggest oil-producing hub.

Abu Dhabi is known for its rich Arabian culture and heritage. It is the largest city among the Seven Emirates. This capital city engrosses the rich tradition of the evolution and rise of the UAE. The country presents a large number of splendid palaces, beautiful mosques, and historic forts. These astonishing landmarks are mostly engraved in beautiful Arabian designs.

History of the Al Maqta Fort

Source: Pixels-Photograph by Rafael Macia

The Al Maqta Fort is a 200-year-old monument. Historians believe that the beautiful fort was constructed in the early 19th century. If you go back to those past days, you will learn that Abu Dhabi was simply just a trading harbour. During that era, people used to know Abu Dhabi for catching fishes and harvesting the plates of seafood. People came to know that this historical monument was built with the motive of protecting the city against the attacks of the robbers, thieves, gangsters and other criminals. The architects have beautifully patterned the fort in soft sand coloured stone. Moreover, the decorators have highly decorated the Al Maqta Fort and also sculpted it with wooden features.

Location of the Fort

The Al Maqta Fort is situated in the middle of the water. The location of this beautiful fort is not on the mainland. Because, of this strategic location, the tourists cannot easily access the fort.

The Al Maqta Fort is situated on a tiny rocky island, at the mouth of the well-known Khor Al Maqta (also popularly known as Abu Dhabi Grand Canal).

Surprise for the Researchers

Research workers and experimenters of history are perplexed to see the architectural jewel of Abu Dhabi. The Al Maqta Fort is an exceptional golden opportunity to relive the history of the beautiful city, Abu Dhabi. The fort has two major additions on its northern and eastern sides, exclusively for the tourists.

Holiday Spot

If you are traveling to Abu Dhabi, a bit of a research will help you to know about the beautiful city. As a traveller, your main consideration is to know in details about the cultural heritage, traditions, and development of the country. Abu Dhabi features contemporary skyscrapers to grand forts and monuments. This majestic fort is one of the prominent landmarks of the capital city, Abu Dhabi. You can learn many things about the expansion and evolution of the city. The Al Maqta Fort will best serve your purpose here. It is better not to limit your holidays while making a tour to Abu Dhabi. Make a lifetime memory by knowing this modern city.

The Al Maqta Fort is re-established for its visitors with two major additions. This splendid fort acts as a tourist information centre and enlightens visitors about the history of Abu Dhabi.

Description of Al Maqta Fort

The Al Maqta Fort is a 2-storied tower. It acts as a watch tower that was built to protect the city during the early days. If you are keen to revive the bygone era of Abu Dhabi, then this historical reminder is a must visit place for you.

The administration and other officials of Abu Dhabi are determined to retain the rich cultures and tradition of the Emirates.

This 2-storied fort presents a huge library in its basement. This enormous library features many books about the history and evolution of this beautiful city. The development of Abu Dhabi, from barren desert lands to a world-class metropolis city, is well depicted in these library books. If you go upstairs, you will find a beautiful veranda. This lovely balcony offers great and stunning views of the Maqta Bridge, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the watchtower in the water and Sheikh Zayed Bridge. Words fall short to explain the beauty of this fort.

This attractive and majestic fort is on the way towards Abu Dhabi Island. Our cab will take you through the Al Maqta Bridge. This bridge connects Abu Dhabi city to the mainland. The Al Maqta Fort is located next to this Al Maqta Bridge. You can stop on this bridge and have an amazing view of this magnificent fort.

This is one of the most noted photo-stops here. You can click photographs in front of this stunning Al Maqta Fort. Just be careful while snapping pictures as it is a high-security zone. There are military personnel and police guards who are assigned to protect this major historical reminder. The entire area is covered by military officials for security reasons.

Winding Up

When you are planning a trip to Abu Dhabi, you will find a number of options, that will keep you entertained, for a fabulous vacation. Keep this in your next travel list to have knowledge of the rich Arabian culture. If you are eager to know the history and culture of the city, then you will relish the tour of the majestic forts, the splendid palaces and the historic monuments of Abu Dhabi. People love to explore this charismatic and majestic fort. Having a tour around this fabulous fort is a marvellous approach to relive the rich history and heritage of this beautiful city. The Al Maqta Fort truly helps in reliving the last days of the capital city. It is an incredible destination for the tourists with many things to observe, achieve and accomplish.

We come across visitors who have all the historical destinations in their itineraries as they reach us. Yes, some people are keen to visit all the historical spots apart from hitting the vibrant city life. Our services are diversified as we cater visitors of various likings. Thanks to our research team who update the visitors about the historical happenings and incidents connected with every historical monument they guide.