abstract
| - The Ajyad Fortress (Turkish: Ecyad Kalesi) was an Ottoman fort built in Mecca in the late 18th century. It was destroyed by the Saudi government in 2002 for commercial development, sparking global outcry.
- In 1781 (or 1777 or 1780, according to some sources), the fortress was built in order to protect the Kaaba and Islamic shrines in Mecca from bandits and invaders. The fort covered some on Bulbul Mountain (a spur of Jebel Kuda) overlooking the Masjid al-Haram from the south. In early 2002, the Ajyad Fortress was demolished and most of Bulbul mount was levelled, in order to clear the area for the $533 million construction project of Abraj Al Bait Towers. Opening in 2012, the complex of multiple high-rise buildings consists of apartments, a twin-tower five-star hotel, restaurants, and a shopping centre, built by the Saudi Binladin Group.
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