Forts & Castles · Al Jawf
Marid Castle
قلعة مارد الأثرية
Photo: قلعة مارد الأثرية.jpg · وكالة الأنباء السعودية · CC BY SA 4.0 (licence)
Before you go
7 facts, each with its source- Time needed 45–90 minutes Source: editor · category default
- Best season November–March Source: editor · category default
- Difficulty Easy — but stairs and uneven stone throughout Source: editor · category default
- Family friendly Yes — watch children on open stairs and towers Source: editor · category default
- Drones Registration with GACA is required for any drone from 250 g, and registration alone is not permission to fly — an operational permit is also needed Source: official · national rule · General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) · checked 2026-09-05
- Dress Saudi Arabia expects modest dress in public: loose clothing covering shoulders and knees. Abaya is no longer required of visitors. Flat shoes for the stone. Source: editor · category default
- Elevation 620 m Source: srtm · NASA SRTM 30 m model
Not confirmed for this place: 4x4 needed · Entry fee · Opening hours · Facilities · Wheelchair. Know one of these? Tell us →
Safety notes
- Mud-brick walls, open towers and stairs without rails, and no shade in a courtyard. Go at the ends of the day and watch children near edges.
Editor notes, reviewed 2026-09-04
How far is it?
- 7 h 40 mfrom AlUla International Airport (ULH) · 622 km
- 42 mfrom Sakaka · 55 km
- 2 h 27 mfrom Arar · 205 km
Road distance and driving time from OpenStreetMap routing, without traffic. Mountain tracks are often slower than the router thinks.
When to go
November–March- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
ComfortableToo hot
Mud-brick walls and open courtyards with no shade; early morning and late afternoon are the hours, and also the light.
Source: editor · category default · 2026-09-04. Category default set by the editor — a verified per-place season replaces it.
Nabataean-era fortress at Dumat al-Jandal in Al Jawf Province, Saudi Arabia, famous for resisting Queen Zenobia's third-century siege
Short description from Wikidata (CC0) · Q4117141
About & Sources Marid Castle
Marid Castle is a fort in Al Jawf, Saudi Arabia — Wikidata describes it as "nabataean-era fortress at Dumat al-Jandal in Al Jawf Province, Saudi Arabia, famous for resisting Queen Zenobia's third-century siege". Entry fee, opening hours and vehicle requirements have not yet been verified for this page — the fact box says so plainly rather than guessing, so check locally before you go. For this kind of place the comfortable season is typically November–March. Nearby: Omar ibn AlKhatab Mosque, Dumat Al-Jandal and Lake Duma Jandal.
At a glance
- Forts & Castles · Al Jawf
- Nabataean-era fortress at Dumat al-Jandal in Al Jawf Province, Saudi Arabia, famous for resisting Queen Zenobia's third-century siege
- Season: November–March (editor default)
- Has a Wikipedia article
- 3 open-data sources · verified not yet
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each with its author and licence.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Marid Castle?
Typically November–March for forts & castles. Mud-brick walls and open courtyards with no shade; early morning and late afternoon are the hours, and also the light.
How long do I need at Marid Castle?
45–90 minutes (guidance for this category).
How high is Marid Castle?
About 620 m above sea level (source: srtm).
Where is Marid Castle?
In Al Jawf (SA-12), Saudi Arabia, at 29.8111, 39.8672 — near Omar ibn AlKhatab Mosque, Dumat Al-Jandal and Lake Duma Jandal.
Who can take you there
All operators →Licensed local operators who run trips of this kind in this region. Contact them directly — we take no commission on an enquiry.
Are you a licensed operator who runs trips here? The first slot on this page is available to Verified operators for a flat monthly fee. No commission, and the enquiry goes straight to your WhatsApp.
Claim your listing →Operators are listed from open data and Ministry of Tourism's public directory. Ranking places paying operators first; everything else is by relevance and distance, and the badges say exactly what has been verified.
Nearby places
More in Al Jawf →
Omar ibn AlKhatab Mosque
early Islamic-era stone mosque in the Al-Darʿi quarter of Dumat al-Jandal, Saudi Arabia, with what is considered the earliest surviving minaret of its type in northern Arabia
Dumat Al-Jandal
ancient oasis city and archaeological site in Al Jawf Province, Saudi Arabia, known to the Neo-Assyrians as Adummatu
Rajajil standing stones
Chalcolithic-period standing-stone site near Sakaka in Al Jawf Province, Saudi Arabia, dated to circa 4th millennium BC and sometimes called the Stonehenge of Saudi Arabia
Zabal Castle
historic hilltop fortress at Sakaka in Al Jawf Province, Saudi Arabia, with foundations attributed to the Nabataean period and an adjoining rock-cut well
Information is compiled from open data and editor checks; conditions, fees and access change — verify locally before you travel.