Built in 1897 to guard the farms of the Jahra oasis, the Red Fort was the scene of the Battle of Jahra in 1920. Restored, it reopened as a museum in 2025.
Construction of the fort — Al-Qasr Al-Ahmar, named for the reddish colour of its mud walls — began in 1897, a year after Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah became ruler. It served as a base for the Jahra garrison, with rooms around a large courtyard and stables.
On 10 October 1920 the fort was at the centre of the Battle of Jahra, when Kuwaiti forces held out against an attack by the Ikhwan; the victory is remembered as a defining moment for the young state.
After several years of closure, the fort reopened in 2025 following restoration, with displays on its history and on life in Jahra.
