Qualla: Kalba Fort

Kalba Fort: Introduction

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In March 1624, a Portuguese commander named Gaspar Leite captured a fortification on the eastern seaboard of what is now Sharjah. The structure he seized may have been little more than a watchtower, but over the following century it grew into something more substantial. By 1745, the fort that stands today at Kalba had taken shape -- a mudbrick, gypsum, and stone structure with an unusual buttressed construction that hints at Portuguese architectural influence. It is one of a string of coastal fortifications with Portuguese origins that dot the Emirates' east coast, from Khor Fakkan to Al Badiyah to Dibba.

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Kalba Fort: Layers of Stone and Power

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Kalba Fort encompasses roughly 1,435 square meters and features a two-story murabaa, or tower. Additions were made to the original structure in 1820, and surrounding village houses contain remains dating back 500 years. The fort was first restored and opened as a heritage site in...

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Kalba Fort: The House Next Door

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Adjacent to the fort stands the Bait Sheikh Saeed bin Hamad Al Qasimi, a traditional house constructed between 1898 and 1901. Originally opened as a museum in December 1999, it too was restored and reopened in April 2021. The house belonged to Saeed bin Hamad Al Qasimi, whose ret...

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Kalba Fort: Between Two Powers

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Kalba's history is inseparable from the rivalries between the Gulf's ruling families and the interventions of the British Empire. When Saeed bin Hamad needed help against Fujairah in 1926, the ruler of Sharjah ignored his plea, and he was forced to turn to the Sultan of Muscat fo...

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Kalba Fort: A Coast of Forts

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Kalba Fort belongs to a network of Portuguese-influenced fortifications along the UAE's eastern seaboard. The Portuguese built or adapted forts at Khor Fakkan, Al Badiyah, and Dibba to control access between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. These structures served overlappi...

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