Ajyad Fortress

The Ajyad Fortress () was an Ottoman fort built in Mecca in the late 18th century. It was destroyed by the Saudi government in 2002 for commercial development, sparking global outcry.
==History==
In 1781 (or 1777 or 1780, according to some sources), the fortress was built in order to protect the Qa'aba and Muslim shrines in Mecca from invaders. The fort covered some 23,000 square meters on Bulbul MountainArticle from the Arab News of 9th January 2002 (a spur of Jebel Kuda) overlooking the Great Mosque from the south.
Ajyad Fortress was demolished and most of Bulbul Mountain levelledArticle in the Arab News of 26th December 2001 by the Saudi government in 2002 to make space for the $533 million construction project Abraj Al Bait Towers.Article from the Brunei Times by Pakinam Amer from Sunday, April 15, 2007, naming the demolished fortress and the new building in the same sentence The 11 high-rise towers will consist of apartments, a twin-tower five-star hotel, restaurants, and a shopping centre, all to be built by the Saudi Binladin Group
. 
==Outrage==
The destruction of the historic structure stirred both domestic and international protest.
 The Turkish Foreign Minister İsmail Cem and other institutions tried to prevent the demolishing.Article on People's Daily Online The Turkish Democratic Left Party (DSP) Deputy Ertuğrul Kumcuoğlu even suggested a boycott on travelling to Saudi Arabia.Cumhuriyet article The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism condemned the obliteration of the fortress, comparing the act to the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamyan, and accusing the Saudi authorities of "continuing with their policy of demolishing Ottoman heritages." 
 Turkish Ministry of Culture Announcement Retrieved 03-28-2008 
The French news agency AFP quoted Saudi Islamic affairs Minister Saleh al-Shaikh as saying “no-one has the right to interfere in what comes under the state’s authority”. In reference to the housing component of the plan, al-Sheikh added that it was intended to house pilgrims to Mecca, and said “this is in the interest of Muslims all over the world”.
 
However, the destruction of this and other historic sites fueled criticism of the Saudis, and specifically their Wahhabi perspective.
 Plans were made to rebuild the castle, as ordered by the King in 2001:Article in the Arab News of 26th December 2001
"King Fahd has given his approval for the King Abdul Aziz Endowment for the Holy Haram and for the preparation of the project site by removing the hill and the castle. The king instructed that the castle should be preserved in full by rebuilding it," the minister said in a statement.
 
A 1/25 scale model of the fortress is included along with other architectural models at the Miniaturk miniature park in Istanbul, Turkey.Description and picture of the model on the Miniatürk website. 
== See also ==
* Ottoman architecture
* The Qishla of Mecca
== References ==
Category:Forts in Saudi Arabia
Category:Ottoman fortifications
Category:Mecca
Category:Demolished buildings and structures
Category:1781 architecture
tr:Ecyad Kalesi