Masmak Fortress is a squat, sand-coloured fort of clay and mud brick standing in the middle of old Riyadh, surrounded today by the glass and stone of a modern capital. It looks modest next to the towers on the skyline, but no building in the city matters more to Saudis: this is where the story of the modern kingdom begins.

The night that started a kingdom

The fort was built around 1865, with four watchtowers and walls thick enough to keep the summer heat out. In January 1902 a young Abdulaziz Ibn Saud — later the founder of Saudi Arabia — returned from exile in Kuwait with a small band of men. They slipped into Riyadh at night, waited for the governor to leave the fort at dawn, and took Masmak after a short, fierce fight at its gate.

That raid began the recapture of Riyadh and, over the following decades, the unification of the country. The broken tip of a spear thrown during the fight is still stuck in the heavy wooden door of the main gate. Most visitors stop to look for it before going in.

What to see inside

Through the small door cut into the gate you come into a sandy courtyard with rooms opening off every side. The fort is now a museum, and the old rooms hold photographs of Riyadh from the early 1900s, maps of the 1902 campaign, old weapons and short films that tell the story of the raid.

Look for the small mosque and the well inside the walls, and the majlis — the reception room where guests were received, with its palm-trunk beams. The watchtowers, with their tapering walls and small slit windows, are classic Najdi building, the same style you will see at Diriyah.

Getting there

Masmak sits in Al Dirah, the old heart of Riyadh, right beside Deera Square and the old souqs. Taxis and ride-hailing cars can drop you at the square, and the Riyadh Metro has a stop in the Qasr Al Hokm area nearby. If you drive, park around Qasr Al Hokm; on weekend evenings the car parks fill up fast.

When to visit

Riyadh's winter, from November to March, is the best time: days are warm and evenings cool enough to walk the old quarter. In summer, midday temperatures often pass 45°C, so go in the late afternoon and finish your day in the souq after sunset. Opening hours change during Ramadan and on public holidays, so check before you go.

Tips for your visit

• Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered; it is a national monument in a conservative part of the city.
• Pair it with Deera Square — and the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque, both a minute's walk away.
• Stay for the souq — the old markets around Deera are at their liveliest after sunset.
• Photos — the warm late-afternoon light on the mud walls is the most beautiful time to shoot the fort.