Doha, Qatar

On the way back from Bangalore, I had a ten hour layover in Doha.  I took advantage of a visa on arrival to check out the city.  However, sightseeing in 46℃ (115℉) heat was a bit tough.

Doha, الدوحة, was established in 1825 and it became the capital of Qatar in 1971.  With over 1,3 million people it's the country's biggest city.  More than half of the entire country lives in the greater metro area.

The Corniche is the seven kilometre (4,25 mile) waterfront promenade.  It's the best spot to view the city's skyline.




The Pearl Monument represents the Doha Bay's history of pearl diving and the pearl trade.






The Museum of Islamic Art opened in 2008.  The five-story museum documents 1400 years of Islamic art.




The National Museum of Qatar is currently under construction.  It is scheduled to open in December 2018 and it will replace the Qatar National Museum.



Souq Waqif is more than 100 years old.  This is where Bedouins would trade goods with locals.  In 2006 the government began to restore the souq.  Along with a few restaurants, this is the place to buy traditional garments and spices.



The Qatar National Library opened its new facility in November 2017.  It collection contains over 1 million items.





Katara is the city's cultural village.

Katara amphitheater

It is home to an open amphitheater, an opera house, cinema, mosque, an auction house, a maritime museum, and a beach.





The arches of Interchange 5/6 on the Lusail Expressway opened in December 2017.




The Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre opened in 2008.  It is the tallest mosque in the country and prior to 2009 it used to be the largest mosque in Qatar.




The Amiri Diwan of the State of Qatar is the Emir's palace.  It also serves as a government building and hosts the prime minister.



Imam Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque is the Qatar State Mosque.  It opened in 2011 and can accommodate 30,000 people.