Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood

About Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood

Neighborhood in Dubai, UAE

The Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, long known as Al Bastakiya, is one of the last remaining pockets of old Dubai. It lies in Bur Dubai on the bank of the Creek, stretching about 300 metres along the water and 200 metres inland, over some 38,000 square metres, and consists of traditional one- and two-storey houses of historical value topped by barjeel wind towers, which caught the breeze and cooled the rooms before the age of air conditioning. The name Bastakiya recalls the merchants from Bastak, across the Gulf, who settled here in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and built their houses of coral stone and gypsum. The houses have been restored, some reconstructed in the traditional style, and the quarter is now a cluster of art galleries, cafes and small heritage houses, together with the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, which introduces visitors to Emirati culture and customs. The narrow, shaded lanes offer a calm rarely found in modern Dubai, ideal for an unhurried wander, for photography, and for understanding what life on the Creek was like before oil. Entry to the quarter is free.

Where:

Dubai, United Arab Emirates