The historic Eid Prayer Ground, located within the Msheireb Downtown Doha development,will be open to the public for the forthcoming Eid al-Adha prayers.
Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, announced yesterday that the historic Eid Prayer Ground located at its flagship Msheireb Downtown Doha development will be open to the public for the forthcoming Eid al-Adha prayers.
Msheireb Downtown Doha is a QR20bn regeneration project in Doha’s historical commercial centre. The mixed-use development is made up of more than 100 buildings, with a combination of commercial and residential properties, retail, cultural and entertainment areas. The aim of the project is to revive the old commercial district by recapturing Qatar’s heritage and architectural traditions.
Abdulla Hassan al-Mehshadi, CEO at Msheireb Properties, said: “We are looking forward to seeing this holy ground being a centrepiece for the community where people can come together in celebrating this significant occasion in the Islamic calendar.”
During the last century, the Eid Prayer Ground was located at the edge of the old down town, occupying a position adjacent to the Burial Ground and Al Koot Fort. As Doha developed during the oil boom, the space was formalised with an enclosing wall, which can be seen in some of the earliest aerial photographs of the city.
Today many of the historic buildings within the old town have been re-constructed or refurbished, creating a unique urban townscape that to a large extent defines the historic identity of central Doha. This is the context for the Eid Prayer Ground as part of Msheireb.
The prayer ground presents a long, relatively low frontage to the street and is the scale of an entire urban block. It forms a backdrop for the picturesque fort building when viewed from the souq and defines the edge of the open space used as the souq car park.
Al-Mehshadi added: “Given our objectives to recapture Qatar’s heritage, we believe it is essential for the MDD development to recognise the country’s religious traditions and the Eid Prayer Ground therefore forms a vital part of its composition. Providing the proper facilities enables residents, commercial users and visitors to fulfil their religious obligations during days of religious significance. The Eid Prayer Ground represents a key link to Qatar’s cultural and religious traditions and we at Msheireb Properties are conscious of our responsibilities to preserve this, even in a modern development. Indeed, it is an excellent example of our ability to combine successfully the most relevant features of past, present and future.”
