Ebu Gaz Castle

Ebu Gaz Castle is among the historical castles and fortified structures around Medina. There were many castles belonging to Jewish tribes, the Ansar, and other local tribes and groups in and around Medina; these served both defensive and commercial storage purposes. The proximity of the region to the Ottoman Hejaz Railway route indicates that Ebu Gaz Castle maintained its strategic importance in the 19th and 20th centuries as well. During World War I, Arab forces led by Lawrence used the castles and defensive structures along the railway route for both attack and refuge purposes. Most of the remains are now in ruins or have been destroyed. However, such sites continue to be important archaeological reference points for understanding the multi-layered history of the Hejaz region. [Source: TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, "Medina" article; Historical sources of the Ottoman Hejaz region]