Al-Sa'idi Castle

This castle is located atop Mount Al-Saidi, overlooking Kaf village from the north. Its construction dates back to periods preceding the Islamic era. Midianite pottery shards, attributed to the Midian period, have been found within its walls, along with a collection of Nabataean pottery shards, confirming that the castle was used during the Nabataean presence in northern Wadi Al-Sirhan.

The use of the castle continued from the middle of the first millennium BC until the period of King Abdulaziz. It underwent major restoration work during the period of Ibn Shaalan’s control over Kaf village. An inscription on the right side of the castle’s entrance points to a renovation phase dated 1339 AH / 1921 AD.

The castle’s layout is irregular, closely resembling an oval shape. Its walls extend for a distance of 800 meters, reaching a height of 4 meters, and are reinforced by a series of square towers.

The castle entrance is located in the middle of the eastern facade, leading to a vestibule interspersed with low-rise stone steps that lead to the courtyard. This vestibule is flanked on both sides by a group of rooms that form a beautiful architectural masterpiece. They are adjacent to the entrance, and are believed to have been used as living quarters for the castle guards.

The building's courtyard emerges as the most prominent feature of the castle's layout, as it is devoid of buildings except for two groups: the first is adjacent to the entrance, and the other building is located in the southern part of the courtyard to the left of the entrance. This building is a semi-rectangular structure.

The courtyard also includes water facilities consisting of a pond and a rock-cut reservoir used to collect rainwater. During drought periods, the basin was supplied with water from wells in the village adjacent to Mount Al-Saidi.