If you follow me on my social media, you must have noticed my various updates about the Katara Cultural Village. Not sure how Qataris address this place, but I can say Katara Cultural Village is the heart of Doha, Qatar. You need a whole day to explore Katara Cultural Village.
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I also got a chance to meet Mr. Khalid Al Sulaiti, GM of Katara Cultural Village (left).
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I can say I was fortunate enough to work with the people of Katara when I was directing Qatar Culture and Literature Festival in 2019. I also got an opportunity to be a keynote speaker for Qatar International Arts Festival and it was truly a wonderful experience for me.
The Katara Cultural Village is divided into smaller areas all of which have either some relation or other with the great cultural heritage of Qatar. Visitors are allowed to move around the main Katara area which is constructed in traditional Qatari alleyways. The first 37 buildings, of the main Katara area, are traditional style buildings which mainly compromise of various organizations and societies like Qatari Society for Engineers, Childhood Cultural Centre, Qatar Music Academy, Fine Arts Society and many more.
It also consists of book market, a media centre, handicraft souk, coffee shops, several academic facilities, green areas and public information sharing centre. There is also a very clean beach named Al Yazwa Public Beach.
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Also, there are golf carts available for free to commute from one building to another.
Katara also has some of the best international restaurants. Each of these restaurants serves delicious food items which has its own ethnic unique cuisine to offer. Some of the most popular restaurants in this area are Saffron Lounge (Indian), Chacklate (Parisian), Sukar Pasha Ottoman lounge (Turkish), Mamig (Armenian), Khan Farouk tarab café (Egyptian).
There is the Drama theatre, Opera house and the amphitheatre at Katar, where most of the events happen. Our festivals and events also took place at the Drama theatre.
Drama Theatre is built on concept of traditional Islamic architecture and also has some influence of modern design patterns with overall capacity of 430 people. The theatre is used for film hosting and also many other events. It is also used for hosting reception and get-togethers and provides both entry and exit doors which adds to the safety and convenience for its audience. There is also a Cigar Lounge where visitors can relax and have good time.
The Opera house at Katara is where some of the world’s best performers put there show. The architecture of the building is a combination of conventional Islamic design and 19th century European design. It has a decent capacity and can occupy 550 persons at a time. Apart from the European blend in architecture, there is also impact of classical Greek architecture which can be very clearly seen in Katara Amphitheatre.
The amphitheatre is spread over an area of 3,275 sqm. Most of the world class events are hosted at this place due to its spectacular architecture and a huge seating capacity of 5000 persons.
Katara Beach would be a nice choice for individuals and also families, either to relax or spend some time doing some water sports. A number of water sports like sailing, water skiing, parasailing, windsurfing, knee boarding, wakeboarding, banana rides, boat rides are available to participate. You can also go for a fishing trip. Children have a separate play area where they can indulge in a number of activities, rides and child friendly water games. You also get an opportunity to take classes and learn some of the water sports like water skiing, windsurfing and sailing wakeboarding.
There are many local food stalls and stores as well, where you can simply roam around and eat.
I totally love spending sunsets at Katara beach, because it looks amazingly beautiful. See yourself! If you are visiting Doha, don’t forget to include Katara Cultural Village in your itinerary.
Also read:
Souq Waqif -A Shoppers’ Paradise in Doha, Qatar
My First Visit To Qatar -Tips for First Timers + Qatar Visa Tips For Indians
