LUXURY ABU DHABI
page
49
Historical Buildings in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi Thh ol The oldes des de est h ist i tori orical or ori call bu build ildd ing in on o Ab Abuu Dhab h bi Isla slland nd iiss the he Qa he Q srr A All Hos Hos Ho o n, n , the h he soso-cal o- cal a lledd Wh W iite tee Fo Fort. Thhe isla i sla sland nd becc ame am m pe p rma rmanen nently nen tly in inhab h bite habite hab itedd after ftter the fte the discov dis cov overy ov ery r off frresh wa water ter to t war wards d the ds thh ennd of the thee 18 thh ce centu ntu ry. ryy. In I or order de to der t p tec pro teectt the pre p cio cious us supply sup upplyy, a waatch chtow tow ower er bec became be a e tthhe fi rsst ssoli am ame olidd stru ol oli stru uctu c ttu ree on on the is th the i slan l d in la i n 17600. The T he he tow toowerr was was ex xten teen ended deed annd rresh e shh apeed oover esh ver thhe cent cent ennt uri rriieess i nnto a fo int in forrt r t tha hatt serv serv e edd as er as a resi resi esiden dence den ence c for thhe r ule ull r. Unt Untilili 1966 1966 6 it it w was as the as thh re iide res iddence ooff Ab Abuu Dhab Dhabbi’s ’ss ruu lin lingg Al A l Nahy N ahy ah aann fam amily ily.. In ily I n orde rderr to to pre reserv res eserv erve rve thhe ffrr agile the agi gi le his h tor hi tor ica icall bui u iildi uil d iin g, extens din ext x enssive i wo work rrk k is i s und nder der pro r ggre ress. e ss. ss Once Onnccee ree tor res t ati ation on has ha be b enn com omple pl ted ple t , Qasr a Al A l Ho Hosn sn wil w i l once once nce ag again ain i be b e ma m de d access acc essibl ess blle to to vvisi i tor isi ors. s s. N ex Nex x t to to t he h modd ern e rn M Maaqta br b idge, idg dge,, at the t he ed edge d gee of of Abu b u Dhabi Dhh abi a Is Islan s lan land, d, stands sta nd th nds t h e 2002 0000-yea yyeaa r-o -old -o ldd Maqqtaa For F o t, t, bu bui ui ld l too pro protec tee ctt aand tec nd con nd coo tro troll acce ccess sss to the ma main in isl i sland andd vi v a t he h ne nea eaa rby b foordd of th the h saa me nam n am me. e. The Th Ab Abuu Dhab Dhab habii Touu ris r m Auth uthori ut ority ori ty now ha hass a visit v i sit vi sitor or cen cenntre r in th thee old l fo for fort. o t. t
T Oa Th The Oasis sii off Al sis A l Ai A nn,, lloc oc ate tee d aarou rou rou ou ndd 150 500 km k m ea e a st st off tthe thh e ca capit ppitt al, all, l , is is surr rounde su rou nnde rou de d b y some me off tthh e m most oost os s be b e aaut beaut au ut ifu full fortifi fu ort ifi ort ified if edd bbui buu i ldi ldings di ngss in i n th t h e UAE. A AE Th Al The Al Ja Jahi Jahil h ili i Fort hil Fort r is is of of ppaarti tiicul u ar ul a sig ignifi nifi ifica ccaance nc aass th thee birt bir irthpl irt h lace hp hpl ce off th t e late Pr P esi esiden deent den aandd foouund an unndderr of the h UA UAE UAE, E,, She She Sh heikh ikh Zaayed yed Biin Suult ltaann A All Nah Nahyan yan.. It was yan was built buuiltt in bui in 18911 ttoo defe 189 defeend the ci city ty and n thhe oasi asiss with ith it i s pprec recious rec iou iou ous palm palm allm tr trees ees e . It It w was a the as th headqu hea dquart dq dqu rtters er of of the thhe Oman Oman m Tr Truci uci ucial ciaall Sc Scoouts uts annd the the he res reeside reside deence dence nce off Al Al Ai Ain’s Ain’s n Go n’ G ver v nor n . no Th fo The fort fort rt is now w op o en to vvis isito itors ito r and ho h sts ts a pperrma mannent nnt phhoto t ex exhib hi iti hib t on ti o of wor work by thee Br by B iti itish ishh adv dvveent nture nt urerr and andd pho photog to rap tog ra herr Wi W lfred lfr fred ed The hesig si er. sig r. Thee Su Sulta ltann b in Zay lta Zayed edd for ort, t, also als lso k nnow w n aass t hee Eas Eaa ter t rnn F ort ort,, d ate or atess bback ack c too ck 1 1 0. 191 0 In I n its i pr it proxi oximit ox oxi m y iiss the mit t he Al A l Ain in Na N ational Natio t ioonal Mu tio M useu s um seu m.. The h e paa lac lacee of t he h e former for or mer pr presi esi siden si dennt, t Sheikh Shh e ikh She ik k h Zaayyed edd Bi B inn S ult ultan lt an lt a n All Nah N ah yan Nahyan yan, a , alsoo b uillt in als i n 1 91 910 1 00,, hhas a bee as b eenn complet ompplet lettely ell re r nov novaate novate tee d a ndd con c ver co ve tted e d in into to a to mu eum mus m , ggivi iving iv ivi vi ng vis visito i ito ittors r a ver e ryy prr iv ery ivaattee ins ivate n igh ns i h t i nto ight nt th t h e ddail the aill y l ife ffe of th thee ruul ing fa rul famil mily. mil y y.
© TDIC
e
LuxuryAbuDhabi_2014_1.indd 49
2014.01.17. 13:07