Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Al Faihani Palace, also known as the Al Faihani Palace, is an ancient palace adjacent to a fortress known as Darin Castle. It is located in the village of Darin on Tarout Island in Qatif Governorate in eastern Saudi Arabia. The castle was restored by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Al Faihani between 1884 and 1885 and became known by his name."Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab's palace is a neglected ruins". Okaz. September 9, 2011. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Accessed on 2015-01-19.
The palace and its associated structures are situated at the center of the South Darin coastal arc.Al-Ansari, Haroon, Shabakat al-Tawash: Darien Castle between the illusions of historians and the testimony of documents. The complex encompasses several facilities and annexes, including a group of rooms, warehouses, and a backyard. The walls feature a series of arches, crafted in the style of the Abbasid Islamic architectural tradition."Al Faihani Palace in Dareen - Qatif Oasis". qatifoasis.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Accessed on 2017-08-08.From the Heritage of Tarout Island: Abdullah Hassan Mansour Al-Abdulmohsen. The total area of the complex is approximately 8,000 square meters, including the annexes."Tarut" ... its archaeological treasures in the wind - Qatif Oasis". qatifoasis.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Accessed on 2017-08-08. The palace and its associated structures are centrally located within the village of Darin, on a prominent elevation close to the sea.Supreme Commission for Tourism, Sites suitable for tourism development in the Eastern Province, unpublished report. The site is in a location between Houta and the eastern district. The palace and its annexes are bordered to the south by a small mosque on a rocky outcrop that gradually slopes downwards until it reaches the sea, where the port of Darin is located.From the Heritage of Tarout Island: Abdullah Hassan Mansour Al-Abdulmohsen. To the eastern extent is a residential area, while to the southeast is the Great Mosque of Darin. In the northern region is an open square, and to the west is an abandoned house."Elders recall the details of the reconstruction of Darien Castle". Juhayna News. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Accessed on 2017-08-07. The hill on which the castle is situated represents the accumulation of sedimentary layers, each of which represents a different time period.Al-Ansari, Haroon, Shabakat al-Tawash: Darien Castle between the illusions of historians and the testimony of documents."Elders recall the details of the reconstruction of Darien Castle". Juhayna News. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Accessed on 2017-08-07."Encyclopedia of Saudi Arabia". saudiency.net. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Accessed on 2017-08-07.
Darin Castle took on its historical value during the establishment of the first and second Saudi state, as well as during the era of the Ottoman Empire, but the palace annexes turned into rubble and piles of stones as a result of the collapse of the walls and their fall on each other, and only the foundations of the palace remained."Al Faihani Palace in Dareen - Qatif Oasis". qatifoasis.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Accessed on 2017-08-08.
Name Darin Castle achieved notoriety following the construction of the palace by Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab in its adjacence. The palace was also attributed to him. Although the castle existed prior to the construction of Al Faihani's palace, it is commonly attributed to him, in addition to being referred to as Darin Castle."Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab's palace is a neglected ruins". Okaz. September 9, 2011. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Accessed on 2015-01-19. In addition to the aforementioned names, there were several others that were also popular among the locals. These included Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Al Faihani Palace, Muhammad Pasha Palace, Abdul Wahhab Pasha Palace, Jassim bin Abdul Wahhab Palace, and Al Faihani Palace.From the Heritage of Tarout Island: Abdullah Hassan Mansour Al-Abdulmohsen.Supreme Commission for Tourism, Sites suitable for tourism development in the Eastern Province, unpublished report.Encyclopedia of Saudi Arabia, Eastern Province, Chapter IX: Hiking Tourism, Chapter Four: Tourism Patterns, II: Cultural Tourism: I-Qatif: 4-Darien Island. Archived 2017-08-26 at Wayback Machine.
The original name of the neighborhood in which the castle is located is believed to be Qibla or Jibla, as it is located west of Darin, where the direction of the Qibla is. The neighborhood derives its name from the Houta of Darin Castle, which served as the headquarters of Ottoman soldiers. The Houta or Qibla neighborhood is separated from the third district by Al-Hala Island, a small bay no more than 500 meters wide.Al-Ansari, Haroon, Shabakat al-Tawash: Darien Castle between the illusions of historians and the testimony of documents.. alwahamag.com. Archived from the on 2017-08-05. Accessed on 2017-08-06.
Monuments The site of the palace and its annexes is rich in artifacts dating back to different times. Although there has been little excavation in the area."Al Faihani Palace in Darien. The 'expropriation' phase paves the way for archaeological excavations 1300 years ago". Al Riyadh. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Accessed on 2017-08-07. However, artifacts have been found there, including coins dating back to the Umayyad period."Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab's palace is a neglected ruins". Okaz. September 9, 2011. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Accessed on 2015-01-19."Al Faihani Palace in Darien. The 'expropriation' phase paves the way for archaeological excavations 1300 years ago". Al Riyadh. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Accessed on 2017-08-07. Ancient coins dating back to the time of the beginning of Islam were discovered in the 1970s with the two shahadahs written on them. Fragments of a skeleton estimated to date back to around 200 BCE were also found. Part of a human jaw and shoulder were found in the rubble excavated from the excavated land.
In 2014, the research and excavation team of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage found a complete set of glass, pottery, and ceramic vessels that likely date back to different eras."Elders recall the details of the reconstruction of Darien Castle". Juhayna News. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Accessed on 2017-08-07. In addition to some pottery pieces dating back to the early periods of the Islamic era."Elders recall the details of the reconstruction of Darien Castle". Juhayna News. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Accessed on 2017-08-07."Pottery vessels found in Darien Castle and transferred to Dammam Museum". Al-Youm newspaper. November 16, 2014. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Accessed on 2015-01-20. Some bones suspected to be animal bones were also found.Al Riyadh - Friday, Shawwal 11, 1424: Issue 12950; Year 39. Finally, the castle has a monument on its southern side that chronicles the treaty that King Abdulaziz signed with the British."Al Faihani Palace in Darien. The 'expropriation' phase paves the way for archaeological excavations 1300 years ago". Al Riyadh. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Accessed on 2017-08-07.Today, a newspaper. "History's Darien. Rajab Festival recounts its splendor". alyaum.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Accessed on 2017-08-07.
The palace layout
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General form The palace, with an area of 8,000 square metres, stands adjacent to a semi-rectangular castle.It is close to a square shape, as shown in the aerial photo taken by Aramco. Not attached to the houses around it.From the Heritage of Tarout Island: Abdullah Hassan Mansour Al-Abdulmohsen.Al Riyadh - Friday, Shawwal 11, 1424: Issue 12950; Year 39.Al-Dururah, Ali (Shawwal 1410 AH). From the History of Tarut Island (I. First Edition). Support Industries Press. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Accessed on August 6, 2017 Built on a moraine hill 3.5 meters above sea level. The castle is a two-story structure with a southeastern tower and a water well in the center. The southern half of the castle overlooks the seafront, while the northern half was abandoned and gradually became ruins. As a result, the boundaries of the original castle are only recognizable from the remnants of the thin lines drawn by the foundations of the walls.Al-Ansari, Haroon, Shabakat al-Tawash: Darien Castle between the illusions of historians and the testimony of documents."Al Faihani Palace in Darin - Qatif Oasis". qatifoasis.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Accessed on 2017-08-08.. Archived from the on 2017-08-05. Accessed on 2017-08-06. The construction of the castle involved the use of maritime stones. In the course of construction, yellow clay and Arabic white plaster were also utilized."Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab's palace is a neglected ruins". Okaz. September 9, 2011. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Accessed on 2015-01-19. Also, locally manufactured gray plaster, which is usually made from burnt sea mud was used. Some parts of the castle were restored with cement in the modern era. Several types of wood were used in the construction of the palace's main support, including Local palm trunks, tree stems imported from India. Mats made from bwari cane and slices of thick African bamboo stalks.It is locally known as a pasgil. These materials were used in the construction of castles and houses back then."Al Faihani Palace in Dareen - Qatif Oasis". qatifoasis.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Accessed on 2017-08-08.From the Heritage of Tarut Island: Abdullah Hassan Mansour Al-Abdulmohsen."Elders recall the details of the reconstruction of Darien Castle". Juhayna News. Archived from the original on 2017-08-07. Accessed on 2017-08-07.
Rooms and annexes The first floor has three square air vents above it, one on the door, two are on the south side of the castle facing the sea. The second floor contains the remains of a large cannon with a stone cylinder next to it weighing about 100 kilograms.Nedal Hussain Al-Masseri - Nedal Hussain Al. "..::: Tarut Island Website ::::::." tarout.info. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Accessed on 2017-08-06. On the second floor is a straight staircase with eight rectangular windows on its sides,These are square openings, sometimes in other shapes, used for luggage and clothes, locally called roznah. each window has a handrail and a ventilation hole.Nedal Hussain Al-Masseri - Nedal Hussain Al. "..::: Tarut Island Website ::::::." tarout.info. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Accessed on 2017-08-06.