Al Hayl Fort

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Al Hayl Fort is a historic fortress in the Wadi Hayl, west of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. It was built in 1932 by Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamdan Al Sharqi as his principal residence for about twenty years. The complex includes a fortified courtyard house, a mosque, a majlis (meeting hall), and a watchtower with wide views over the valley and the old village of Al Hayl. The buildings are made from locally quarried gabbro/dolerite rocks bound with mud mortar, faced with plaster, with gypsum interiors and mangrove wood used for the timbers.

The watchtower was originally built as a residence for Sheikh Abdullah’s younger brother, Suhail, who later moved to a house in Wadi Furfar. Although often called a summer house, Al Hayl Fort remained Abdullah’s residence until he moved to Mirbah in 1958.

The fort overlooks the village of Al Hayl, traditionally settled by the Kunud tribe. The area has evidence of long history, including Umm Al Nar era tombs and petroglyphs, though some sites are threatened by ongoing construction. In the late 1970s the village was abandoned as people moved to a new settlement further down the wadi, which is protected by the Al Hayl Dam.