This iconic football stadium played hosted to the opening match of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where Qatar played Ecuador in November 2022. Not a football fan? No worries. Al Bayt Stadium is the perfect venue to introduce visitors to Qatari culture.
Its shape is meant to resemble the bayt al sha’ar – tents traditional used by Bedouins across the Gulf region – and is also where the stadium gets its name from.
Al Khor.
Al Wahda Arches
Take your visitors up to Lusail and they will no doubt be impressed by the Al Wahda Arches, which are Qatar’s tallest monument. Made out of limestone, the intertwined arches are connected with a cable net, a nod to Doha’s pearl diving history. Also known as 5/6 Arches, in a reference to the Qatar blockade which began on June 5, 2017, the adjacent 5/6 Park is well worth a visit for its plant maze and cycling paths.
Al Zubarah Fort
Al Zubarah Fort needs to be on your must-visit list (Credit: Shutterstock)Quite a historically iconic building, Al Zubarah Fort was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. Located about 100 km northwest of Doha, it once stood at the heart of the country’s largest and most important settlement, known for pearling and trading.
During your day trip to the fort, you’ll be able to see remnants of that past — from the preserved fort walls, a rare glimpse into Qatar’s early story.
Art Mill Museum
When you’re driving the corniche near the MIA park, you’re sure to spot the old flour mill turned art museum in Doha by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Alejandro Aravena. The museum is set to open in 2030, and will house international modern and contemporary art developed by Qatar Museums.
MIA Park.
Banana Island resort by Annantara
Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara. (Credit: Qatar Tourism).Can you believe this is in Qatar? One of the most iconic landmarks off the shore of the Doha Corniche is the crescent-shaped Banana Island.
The Banana Island Resort has overwater villas that make you feel like you’re in the Maldives. Plus, there’s plenty of other activities on the island that make it worth a visit.
Banana Island,
Burj Doha
Arguably the most recognisable building in Qatar, you’ll find this iconic Doha landmark in West Bay. Overlooking the Arabian Gulf, Burj Doha (also known as Doha Tower) stands tall at 238m-high with 46 floors, making it the sixth tallest structure in Qatar.
It was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and the pattern on its exterior is used to shield the inside from the summer heat. The building comes alive at night thanks to built-in lighting, which is typically golden, but it can also be customised like on National Day when it assumes the Qatar flag.
West Bay.
Education City Mosque
We’d recommend a trip to Education City to admire some of Doha’s most impressive architectural marvels — one high on that list is the landmark, Education City Mosque. Designed by renowned Iraqi architect and calligrapher Taha al-Hiti, the mosque highlights Arabic calligraphy with a sleek, futuristic design.
Education City, Qatar Foundation,
Eye of Qatar
One of the most, ahem, eye-catching buildings in Doha, Eye of Qatar is a fairly divisive building. Boasting a ring of blue and panels of glass in red, green and gold, it’s a vibrant commercial building that can be found in the old airport area of town. Spanning 1,000 sq m, it’s made up of aluminium honeycomb panels. Completed in 2015, the building is now home to a number of private offices for Qatar Airways.
Near Umm Ghuwailina metro station, Old Airport Area.
Fanar Mosque
Visits to Souq Waqif are an absolute must if you’re in Doha, and just opposite the bargain-filled alleyways of the traditional market is where you’ll find Fanar. Also known as the Abdullah Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center (or Bin Zaid for short), it’s named after Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud, a scholar and founder of Qatar’s judicial system.
The cultural centre is a Doha landmark and is known for hosting events where visitors can learn about Qatari culture and heritage while enjoying a traditional coffee. Its prominent, interestingly spiral- shaped minaret is one of the most famous sights in the city, while Fanar Mosque was previously the largest in the country. Non-Muslim visitors can attend Friday prayers in English as well as taking a tour of the mosque.
FIFA World Cup 2022 Statue
There’s no landmark in Doha more iconic than the FIFA World Cup 2022 statue. The 26.5 metres tall sculpture is of the tournament’s logo. It sits right at the centre of Palm Island and can be seen from anywhere along the Doha Corniche. It’s a bold tribute to Qatar’s sporting legacy and a lasting reminder of the country’s historic moment on the global stage.
Palm Island.
Iconic 2022 building
Yes, this Doha landmark is as iconic as it sounds, literally spelling out 2022 in building form. Iconic 2022 stands as a visual reminder for an incredible year in Qatar. The building was constructed as four separate blocks after Qatar successful won its bid to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 .
Viewed from above, the side, or the front (and probably the bottom, if it were possible), this building screams “2022” – a fitting landmark tribute to what was a landmark year for the country. The mixed-use building has 60,000 sq m of floor space and contains a supermarket as well as a number of cafés and restaurants including Joe’s Café, Sweetzerland, Starbucks and more.
Opposite Khalifa International Stadium, Aspire Zone.
Katara Mosque
There are tons of iconic spots inside Katara, from the grand staircase at Katara Club to the stunning Amphitheatre — but undoubtedly the real showstopper is the Katara Mosque. This landmark building is covered in turquoise and purple mosaic tiles. It was designed by Turkish architect Zainab Fadil Oglu and it’s an absolute must-snap photo spot when you’re there.
Katara Towers
The Katara Towers is home to two luxury hotels. This Doha landmark was inspired by the national emblem of Qatar, which features traditional scimitar swords. The contemporary design blends with the aspect of heritage to make for a unique building. The 300,000 sq m building houses inside Raffles Doha and Fairmont Doha.
Lusail Marina.
This huge football stadium was built for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and became a landmark for the city during the huge football tournament. With room for 88,966 sports fans, the eyes of the world were on Lusail Stadium in December 2022 when the venue hosted the World Cup final where Argentina defeated France.
The stadium’s façade was inspired by traditional motifs on bowls and other crockery from across the Arab and Islamic world. In muted gold, it is impressive by day but spectacular by night. Designed by Foster + Partners, the roof is another integral part of Lusail Stadium..
Lusail City.
Marina Twin Towers
Nicknamed the Lego Towers, the two buildings feature colourful cubes that appear to be unevenly stacked. The colours are said to represent the vibrancy and diversity of Qatar’s multicultural population. Inside, you’ll find plenty of office space, as well as some retail space.
Lusail Marina.
Mina District
We’ll admit these aren’t just a single famous building, but rather a district of colourful and eye-catching buildings in the city. These pastel buildings line the waterfront promenade of the Old Doha Port and are infamous for having stunning murals that you must see during your visit.
Old Doha Port,
One of the most famous buildings in Doha, the Museum of Islamic Art is built on an island off an artificial peninsula at the end of Doha Corniche. It opened in 2008, and was revamped in 2022, and is home to masterpieces from three continents with a collection spanning 1,400 years.
MIA was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect I.M. Pei, who was 91 when he worked on it, and is influenced by traditional Islamic architecture. Covering 45,000 sq m, it’s made up of a five-storey main building and a two-storey Education Wing, which are connected through a very Instagrammable courtyard.
National Museum of Qatar
Another wonder from Jean Nouvel, the National Museum of Qatar is shaped like a desert rose. For the uninitiated, a desert rose is a type of crystal formed in arid sandy conditions, like those found in Qatar. Completed in 2019, the impressive structure was built around Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani’s original palace.
Don’t skip the gift shop, which was designed by Koichi Takada and is meant to resemble Qatar’s Dahl al Misfir (or cave of light). For the best view of the structure, head up to Qatari restaurant JIWAN on the fourth floor for sunset.
Place Vendôme Qatar
This incredible luxury mall opened in April 2022 in Lusail and has a striking design. Inspired by French architecture, specifically Rue de la Paix, in Paris, of which Place Vendôme is the starting point, the massive mall spreads over four floors and 1,150,000 sq m of space.
It is also home to Le Royal Méridien hotel and residences, more than 560 shops, cafés, as well as a canal, dancing water fountains and a 3D laser show.
QNCC (Qatar National Convention Centre)
This stunning building has striking architecture both inside and out. Found across from Qatar Foundation, this landmark building in Doha opened in 2011. A massive events space QNCC hosts everything from conferences to awards, events and shows – as well as gigs, with Ed Sheeran and OneRepublic among the names that have performed there in the past.
It has a conference hall, theatre, auditoriums, meeting rooms and more than 40,000 sq m of exhibition space. Designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, it’s famed for its façade, inspired by the sidra tree, which is native to Qatar. As well as looking striking, it is also energy efficient, with 3,500 sq m of solar panels providing 12.5 percent of QNCC’s energy. It also has energy-efficient fixtures and water conservation measures in place.
Qatar National Library
The humungous Qatar National Library covers 45,000 square metres, and is home to more than one million books as well as newspapers, magazines, and other materials. Designed by Rem Koolhaas, the exterior is meant to resemble two pieces of paper that have been folded diagonally at the corners to create a shell-like structure.
Inside, the library has not been broken up into sections or different floors to make reading more accessible to a community of readers, who can collaborate and learn together.
Sheraton Grand Doha
When the five-star Sheraton Grand was one of Doha’s first buildings. Before-and-after snaps of what would go on to become the West Bay we know and love show a patch of sand with nothing around bar the pyramid-shaped hotel.
Opened in 1979, the hotel has nearly 400 rooms and is also an important convention centre. With time, plenty of skyscrapers have popped up around the hotel, but its triangular shape makes it stand out from the rest and it remains one of the best-known Doha landmarks to this day.
The Torch
This iconic hotel building in Doha has strong ties with the sports world. Designed to represent a huge torch, the building was built for the 15th Asian Games in 2006, with The Torch holding the highest flame in the history of the games.
It was also a popular location during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 thanks to its proximity to Khalifa International Stadium in Aspire Zone. Standing at 300 metres tall, The Torch hotel is home to 163 modern rooms, one of the highest outdoor pools in Doha on the 25th floor, as well as must-visit sky-high restaurants like the Torch Tea Garden, and the city’s only revolving restaurant, Three Sixty.
Tornado Tower
Another Doha landmark in West Bay, Tornado Tower, is distinct thanks to its crisscross pattern on the outside and hourglass shape, both of which are meant to resemble a literal tornado.
A high-tech lighting system also adds to this tornado effect, and more than 35,000 variations of lighting patterns create an incredible sight at night. The building is home to both retail and office spaces.
Zig Zag Towers
The aptly named Zig Zag Towers can be found in West Bay Lagoon. It was designed by award-winning architects MZ & Partners. The large residential twin towers stand at 143 m high, and consist of 748 residential apartments. It is connected to Lagoona Mall.
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