Tarout Castle

Tarut Castle, also known as Tarut Palace, Tarut Fort, Portuguese Fort, or simply "The Fort," is an archaeological site

situated on a hill in the center of Tarut Island, located southwest of Deira, in the eastern part of Qatif Governorate, Saudi Arabia. The hill, known as Tall Tawt, is estimated to be 5,000 years old. The castle itself is believed to date back to the time of the Uyuni state and was later used as a Portuguese defensive point.

The Portuguese renovated the castle in the 16th century, specifically on 29 March 1544 CE, during their occupation of the Arabian Gulf. The fort was constructed on the remains of a temple dedicated to the Phoenician goddess Astarte or Inanna, from whom the name "Tarut Island" is derived. The ruins and foundations of the original temple remain visible beneath the castle.