Katara Cultural Village
Katara Cultural Village
Katara Cultural Village is one of Doha's premier attractions, with something to entertain both residents and visitors alike. Take a stroll with us as we explore the unique experience of Katara.
21 High Street (Katara Plaza)
Katara sits on the waterfront along Lusail Street, just a few kilometres north of Al Dafna. Founded in 2010 under the direction of the Father Amir, HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Katara's aim is to position Qatar on the international, regional and local stage for art, music, theatre, photography and much more. Some form of the name 'Katara' has long been used to represent Qatar. The country was first known as 'Catara', due to the map drawn by the geographer Claudius Ptolemaeus in 150 CE, published in 882 CE – 1477 CE and afterwards the Historical Atlas of Islam. It also gave the geographical location of the Qatar peninsula under the name of Catara, North West of Gerra or near it, and to the west of the town of Cadara. 'Catara' became 'Katara' after it appeared on the geographical and historical maps of the early 18th century, first depicted in a French map of the Arabian peninsula coastline, sea and gulf. It was decided to revive Qatar's old name to maintain the connection to the country's heritage. Today, the multidimensional project brings together all the cultures of the world, with festivals, exhibitions and art galleries, and other cultural events. Adhering to the goals laid out in Qatar National Vision 2030, Katara preserves the heritage and traditions of the country while also embracing those of other nations.
based on the classical Greek theatre and Islamic features with seating for 5,000 spectators, who over the years have been treated to many open-air concerts and film screenings. Just outside the ampitheatre stands Lorenzo Quinn's The Force of Nature II. The bronze, stainless steel and aluminium sculpture by contemporary Italian artist Quinn also appears in London and New York and is a piece created in the wake of the 2009 tsunami in the Pacific Ocean. Look out for another visual masterpiece: Gandhi’s Three Monkeys by Subodh Gupta. Three sculptures show heads wearing military gear: one wears a gas mask, one with a soldier’s helmet, and the third with a terrorist’s hood. Each piece is made up of cooking appliances, buckets, and glass bowl, and are based on Gandhi’s famous visual metaphor – the three wise monkeys that ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’. For music fans, the Opera House is home to the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), as well as hosting other concerts. The orchestra performs and promotes Western and Arabic music with approximately 40 performances a year at the opulent Opera House, which blends modern architecture with traditional Islamic design. qatarphilharmonicorchestra.org Amphitheatre
When in Katara, you cannot miss the Pigeon Towers. Three are located near the Katara Masjid and the others are near Al Jazeera Media Café. Pigeons and other birds can rest within the holes of the towers, which can house up to 14,000 birds. Katara also provides water and food to the pigeons. Constructed of unfired mud brick, lime plaster and gypsum, the towers range from 10 to 22 m in diameter and stand at least 18 m high. Situated prominently in the middle of Katara, the amphitheatre is an architectural masterpiece 94
M83 SPRING/SUMMER 2022 ©
Katara Cultural Village M83.indd 1
MARHABA
3/28/22 11:19 AM
