Tylos Fortress

Tylos Fortress lies on the northeast corner of the tell of Qal'at al-Bahrain in the village of Al Qalah in Bahrain.

The tell has been inhabited by humans since 2300 BC and was the capital of the ancient Dilmun civilization.

Exactly when Tylos Fortress was built is unknown. The fortress is never mentioned in texts, and all that is known is based on archaeological finds. Most probably, it was built during the reign of the Sassanid king Ardashir I over Bahrain, then named Tylos, to protect navigation in the Persian Gulf from Arab Bedouins and pirates. Ardashir ruled from 226 to 241 AD. The Sasanids dominated the eastern coast of Arabia and administered it through Arab vassal tribes from their homeland in present-day Iran. The fortress was used as a military-administrative complex in a harbor town. After the 7th century, the town and fortress seem to have lost their importance, and the site declined to probably nothing more than a small fishing village.

During the 13th century, the site regained its importance, and the old Tylos Fortress was converted into a commercial warehouse by the Salgharid Atabaks of Fars during the Mongol Il-Khanate. The harbor traded with China and India, and 8 date presses, called madbasa or mudabissa, were installed in the fort, which could yearly produce 15,000 kg of date honey.

Between the late 13th and early 14th centuries, the Mongol rulers lost power, and the Arab-Persian dynasty of the Princes of Hormuz took control of the Strait of Hormuz and the principal harbors of the Persian Gulf region. This led to the construction of a new fort directly southwest of the Tylos Fortress, which was to become Bahrain Fort. After that, Tylos Fortress seems to have disappeared.

The fortress was discovered during archaeological excavations in the 2nd half of the 20th century.

It was built as a coastal fortress with a square ground plan of 55 by 55 meters encompassed by a moat. It had round towers at its corners and in the middle of its north, east, and south sides. There was a gate at its west side, fortified by 2 towers.

Tylos Fortress is freely accessible, but as it is an archaeological site, you are supposed to stay out of the remains of the fortress itself. This must have been an impressive fort. It is a nice bonus when you visit the Bahrain Fort. The Bahrain Fort Museum, next to the beach, is also worth a visit.

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