Ajyad Fortress
The Ajyad Fortress (Turkish: Ecyad Kalesi; Arabic: قلعة أجياد) was an Ottoman citadel which stood on a hill overlooking the Grand Mosque of Mecca, in what is now Saudi Arabia. Built in the late 18th century, it was demolished by the Saudi government in 2002 for commercial development of the Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower, sparking global outcry.
The fortress was built in 1780 under Ottoman rule in order to protect the Kaaba in Mecca from bandits and invaders. The fort covered some 23,000 m2 (250,000 sq ft) on Bulbul Mountain (a spur of Jebel Kuda) overlooking the Masjid al-Haram from the south. Ottoman Turks had ruled a vast empire covering the Arabian peninsula, the Balkans, and north Africa. But the empire was disintegrated at the beginning of the 20th century when present-day Turkey was established as a secular state.
In early 2002, the Ajyad Fortress was demolished and most of Bulbul mount was levelled, in order to clear the area for the $533 million construction project of Abraj Al Bait Towers.
The destruction of the historic structure stirred both domestic and international protest. The Turkish Foreign Minister İsmail Cem İpekçi and as well as several institutions tried to prevent the demolition. The Turkish Democratic Left Party (DSP) Deputy Ertuğrul Kumcuoğlu even suggested a boycott on travelling to Saudi Arabia. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism condemned the obliteration of the fortress, comparing the act to the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamyan, and accusing the Saudi authorities of "continuing with their policy of demolishing Ottoman heritages."
...
Wikipedia