Excerpts from Visit Abu Dhabi’s website:
The picturesque Al Jahili Fort is one of the UAE’s most historic buildings. It was erected in 1891 to defend the city and protect precious palm groves. The former headquarters of the Oman Trucial Scouts, the force that protected the mountain passes and kept inter-tribal peace, it also served as a residence for the local governor. It is set in beautifully landscaped gardens, and visitors are encouraged to explore it.
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| the grand gates to the old fort |
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| this is a reconstruction, if you can believe it |
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| entering the fort's main courtyard |
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| we're not sure which is old, which is new |
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| over a hundred years old |
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| this must be old, right? |
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| Brendan catching his own reflection |
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| typically sturdy |
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| we suspect this is the reconstructed portion |
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| but we can't be too sure |
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| here we go |
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| dabbing in the desert |
Conservation and rehabilitation works carried out by the Abu Dhabi Tourism
and Culture Authority in 2007 preserved the fabric and value of this historic
building, whilst transforming the most recent parts of the building into an
active visitor destination with an information centre and permanent and
temporary exhibition spaces.
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| at the information centre |
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| a study in contrasting light |
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| this must be the old fort |
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| getting ready to climb up the fort tower |
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| time for a photo op |
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| Brendan too |
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| peering through time |
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| exploring the inside of the tower |
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| looks reconstructed? |
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| imagining we're soldiers on guard |
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| view across the courtyard |
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| time to get down |
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| one final parting shot |
The
conservation and development process was informed throughout by archaeological
investigations and documentation that allowed the preservation and
interpretation of the various parts of the building.
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| walking down the tower |
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| ah, so this is the old fort |
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| despite the heat |
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| the interior was kept cool |
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| trying to determine if this is old or new |
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| no clues from the outside |
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| neither from the inside |
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| hello there? |
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| amazing mud brick creation |
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| as the sun baked us |
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| we glanced up the old fort's tower |
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| and wondered what secret's lay within |
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| this space was surprisingly eerie |
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| keeping in the shade |
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| feeling imprisoned |
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| corridors of power, once upon a time |
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| as we left the fort |
The
north wing of the courtyard is devoted to a permanent exhibition of black and
white photographs by the traveller Wilfred Thesiger and entitled ‘Bin London and Freedom of the Desert’. The west wing is used as the temporary exhibitions
centre, opening on to the court, while the south wing contains an information
centre for visitors to the fort and to Al Ain, as well as a bookshop and majlis.
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