Qatar Museums Authority
One of the earliest harbor towns in Qatar, Al Ruwais accommodates what is believed to be the oldest surviving mosque in Qatar. Initially built around the 17th century, Ruwais Mosque was reconstructed in the 1940s. According to local tradition, the mosque was constructed at the behest of Ahmed Ezz el-Din bin Kassab Al-Sadah. After being struck by lightning in 1970, the minaret wall was reconstructed using seashell brick. As a result of the mosque’s worsening exterior condition, the Qatar Museums Authority launched a restoration project in 2014. From December 2014 to January 2015, archaeologists from the Qatar Museums Authority also excavated the eastern portion of the mosque, unearthing pottery shards, animal bones and coins. It is rectangular in shape, with an open courtyard, and can hold around 100 worshipers. The Ministry of Tourism and Al Shamal Municipality are coordinating to preserve the mosque and to promote it as a tourist attraction.