Timeframe: Stories to be told from RAK

The tower stood originally outside the walls of the old town and served as a defensive feature

RAK Fort in 1959. Courtesy Ras Al Khaimah Department of Museums and Antiquities

From a fort to a ruler's palace to a prison, Ras Al Khaimah's fort is a place of stories. In this photograph, we can see how it looked in 1959. The building is centuries old and was constructed mainly of coral - a nod to the region's maritime tradition. On the right is the fort's most prominent feature, the tower. It stood originally outside the walls of the old town and served as a defensive feature. Out of shot is the next most prominent part - the wind tower, which served as a type of pre-industrial air conditioning. The fort was converted into a museum in 1987 and has been undergoing a careful restoration. There are now galleries surrounding the fort's inner courtyard where a visitor can learn about pearl-diving, seafaring and archaeological finds from the emirate.You can also now climb to the top of the tower and take in the beautiful views of RAK's old town and the sea.

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