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The List of Buildings
Al Hosn Palace
Al Hosn Palace is the oldest historic building in Abu Dhabi. It reflects the history and achievements of the Al Nahyan family, who have ruled Abu Dhabi since the eighteenth century. In 1795, Sheikh Shakhbout bin Thiyab ordered the construction of a fortress and residence for him and his family. In 1939, Sheikh Shakhbout ordered the building of a new fortress around the old one, adding rooms exclusively for the ruling family on the southern and eastern wings of the edifice. After ascending to power, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ordered the renovation of the fortress between 1975 and 1985. Al Hosn Palace was always a landmark building in the city and could be seen from afar before the advent of multistorey high rises. Today, the Palace remains the most important historic building in Abu Dhabi.
Al Maqta'a Tower
Al Maqta’a Tower is a tall tower located at the southeastern entrance to the island of Abu Dhabi. The Tower was of great importance in the past, because it served as the island’s first line of defence. It was also important in controlling the entry and exit of convoys and visitors to the island, particularly since it was the only point of entry for the latter.
Sheikh Shakhbout Summer House
The Sheikh Shakhbout Summer House is a small house of three rooms, which have doors opening to the north. The building is 19 meters high and almost 4 meters wide. It was used as summer retreat by Sheikh Shakhbout and his family and is currently situated in Sheikh Khalifa’s Park in Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Zayed Palace (Al Ain Palace Museum)
Sheikh Zayed Palace is one of the most important monuments in Al Ain City. It remains from the era when the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan governed Al Ain City. The Palace was the centre of the administrative authority and the heart of political life during one of the periods of Sheikh Zayed’s reign. It was the private residence for the ruling family and the birthplace of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.
Al Muwaiji Fort
Al Muwaiji Fort is located south of Al Muwaiji Oasis, on the farm of the late Sheikh Zayed (God rest his soul). The Fort is composed of a large square building surrounded by high walls. There are two buildings for habitual residence: one at the northwest corner and the other at the southeast corner. The main building has a square tower whose entrance and windows are embellished with decorative geometrical shapes. Outside it there is a mosque for prayers. The Fort was built while Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan lived in Al Ain. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (God rest his soul) had moved from the Eastern Fort to Al Muwaiji Fort in early 1946 after he became Governor of the Eastern Region; this was during the reign of Sheikh Zayed’s brother Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Al Muraijeb Fort
The Fort is situated inside the Al Muraijeb garden, about 80 meters from the garden’s main entrance. Muraijeb Tower lies to the east of the Fort, Al Muraijeb Square to its west, the garden gate to its south, and the garden and surrounding trees to its north. A residential neighborhood abuts it. Sheikh Shakhbout bin Thiyab, having succeeded his father Thiyab bin Issa, had the Fort built in 1816. In this era, Sheikh Shakhbout stepped down from power in favour of his son Mohammed, retiring to his private farm in Al Qattara Oasis in Al Ain.
Mezyad Fort
Mezyad Fort , built in the nineteenth century, is one of the largest and most heavily fortified citadels in Al Ain. Huge observation towers at the building’s four corners protect it from attack. Forty rooms overlook the vast courtyard. Mezyad Fort used to serve as a barrack and warehouse for a large military force. It also used to provide a safe haven for local residents in times of danger, and it was an ideal location for meetings and consultative councils.
Al A’ankah Fort
Al A’ankah Fort is located about 55km west of Al Ain City on the service road between Al Ain and Abu Dhabi in the village of Al A’ankah. The fort is almost square in shape, with a huge tower, and surrounded by an octagonal fence. The two-storey structure dates back to the second half of the nineteenth century, when Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoun (Ruler of Abu Dhabi 1845-1855) ordered its construction.
Al Jahili Fort
Al Jahili Fort is one of the largest forts in the UAE, and has been a symbol of strength and power while also serving as the summer residence of the ruling family. Construction began in 1891 under the rule of Sheikh Zayed and was completed in1898. Al Jahili originally consisted of two buildings: a square fort and a separate round tower composed of four central ranks. The entrance to the fort was originally placed on the south wall, where verses of poetry were written in praise of Sheikh Zayed The First.
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Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan Fort (Eastern Fort)
The Eastern Fort dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century. Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, father of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (God rest his soul), moved from Al Jahili Fort to the Eastern Fort. Three corners of the Eastern Fort have round towers of three storeys each dotted with small windows.
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Al Murab’a Fort
Al Murab’a Fort was built in 1948 on the order of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (God rest his soul) when he was Governor of the Eastern Region. He intended to use it as a control tower and camp for the Emiri Guards. Its only entrance leads to an internal courtyard, which in turn leads to the stairs and four rooms that were used for storing weapons and ammunition. The first floor holds four living rooms, while there are three large rooms on the second floor.
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Juma’a bin Rhamah Al Darmaki Fort
Juma’a bin Rhamah Al Darmaki Fort is located in the Hili area, near the oasis at the Shareea. It held an important strategic position to protect the population and the oasis, enabling the Fort to play a prominent military role, in addition to its economic and social roles. It is believed that the Fort dates back to the eighteenth century.
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Rumailah Western Fort
Rumailah Western Fort is a rectangular, single-storey fortification with upper balconies and loopholes from which defenders could shoot assailants. An octagonal fence surrounds the building. An eastern gate leads to the main stairway that ascends to the surface of the fort, which is above grade. This ground floor consists of two rectangular rooms: one to the east and one to the west. The first floor leads to the staircase for the eastern room from its southern side, and there is a small window on its northern side. The eastern wall has a window and a ventilation hole in it.
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Seja Fort
Seja Fort is located in the south of Al Ain City, on the road between Al Ain and Dhahira. It is a mid-range sized fort for the area. The fortress has a square ground plan, with four rooms opening onto a large courtyard. Three rooms are on the western side, and entrance stairways exist between the first, second, and third rooms. The building is surrounded by a fence on its northern, southern, and eastern sides.
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Bin A’ati Al Darmaki Fort and House
Bin A’ati Al Darmaki Fort is located at the western entrance of Al Qattara Oasis, surrounded by farms to the south and east. On its northern side lies Bin A’ati’s House, and the main road runs on its west. The fort is rectangular in plan, with balconies and loopholes at the top of its four floors. Windows with plaster decoration provide ventilation. The fort is surrounded by a wall with two places of entrance on its northern side and a main entrance on its east. The west side of the wall is pierced by the entrance to Bin A’ati’s House, which consists of a lobby surrounded by rooms in all directions. The house also has an entrance on its the western side.
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Mohammed bin Bodowwah Al Darmaki Fort
Mohammed bin Bodowwah Al Darmaki Fort is located west of the Al Qattara Oasis. To its east is the Heritage Village and Rashed Al Hayta Al Darmaki Mosque, to its west and north is a farm. To the north is the House of Rashed Al Hayta Al Darmaki. The fort is surrounded by a fence and has high balconies and loopholes. The southern portion of the fence is arched, making the fence look like a quarter of a circle. The western wall is not high, and the land in front of it is low and easy to defend. The fort is divided into two fronts, north and south, and has a large visible gate on the north.
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Al Naqfah Fort
Located north of Al Ain Club, Al Naqfah Fort sits at the base of Jebel Hafit, which rises to the east. To the north is Al Ain Oasis, to the west is a cemetery and a house. To the west is an area for Eid prayers. The mountain represents the Fort’s eastern defensive barrier, and the remnants of a destroyed wall remain to the west. Some of the area’s caves were covered in a unique type of mud, and situaton a gradual incline on the mountain. Many pottery pieces have been found in this vicinity.
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Hemaid bin Hadheibah Al Dhahiri Fort
Hemaid bin Hadheibah Al Dhahiri Fort is located southeast of Hili Oasis, on the grounds of a private farm. To its east are a number of houses, including House of Bin Hadhiba. The Fort is rectangular in plan, with walls three meters high. There is a ladder on its eastern wall and a door half a meter above ground in the middle of its northern wall. There are two windows on each sides of the fort. Parts of the perimeter walls remain attached to the building’s northwestern corner.
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Bin Hazzam Al Dhahiri Fort
Bin Hazzam Al Dhahiri Fort is situated in the southwestern portion of Jimi Oasis. Farms exist to its north and south, and residential houses extend from its west. The fort stands on a hill, and it is surrounded by a fence . A square tower in the eastern side of the building has two floors.
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Hamad bin Hadi Al Darmaki House
Hamad bin Hadi Al Darmaki House is surrounded by date palms in the center of Al Hili Oasis, east of the tower of Bin Rayeh Al Darmaki. A farm road passes north-east through the grounds. The house had a rectangular plan and is now mostly destroyed. What remains are the foundations of an old perimeter fence, a prominent gate, and a room at its eastern extent. There is also a destroyed tower at its southwest corner.
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Bin Hamouda Al Dhahiri House
Bin Hamouda Al Dhahiri House is nestled in the eastern portion of the Jimi Oasis. Encircled by a fence, the house has a large courtyard and a deep well. The main entrance is on the western side. Consisting of five rooms on the western side of the site, the house opens to the courtyard to the east. To the east is a mosque made up of a prayer hall and a courtyard. The courtyard leads to a room used for memorizing the Quran. Bin Hamouda Al Dhahiri House is thought to date back more than two hundred years, and it is where the Hamouda’s lived with their relatives and servants.
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Khalfan and Saif bin Abdullah Al Dhahiri House
The House is located in an oasis south of Bin Hamouda’s House. The main street runs on the east, while the vegetation of the oasis surrounds the house on the west, south, and north. A destroyed fence encircles the house. The structure has one entrance, a courtyard, and six rooms. The House is believed to be 90 years old.
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Sultan bin Abdullah Al Dhahiri House
East of Khalfan and Saif bin Abdullah Al Dhahiri House, Sultan bin Abdullah Al Dhahiri House is separated from the former by the street that traverses Jimi Oasis. It is surrounded by the verdant landscape of the oasis on all other sides. The house has one room and is ringed by the remains of an outside fence.
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Rashed Al Haytah Al Darmaki House
Situated at the western entrance to Al Qattara Oasis, Rashed Al Haytah Al Darmaki House is surrounded by farms except to the south, where one finds Heritage Cafe, Fort of Mohammed bin Bodowwah Al Darmaki, and Mosque of Rashed Al Darmaki. The house has a rectangular plan with four rooms, a main gate at the far west portion of the southern wall, and a door in the eastern wall.
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Bin Shehail Al Motawwa Al Dhahiri House
In a narrow passage between date-palms south of Al Ain Museum rests Bin Shehail Al Motawwa Al Dhahiri House. Al Ain Oasis encloses the House on its south, east, and north. On its west is the Mosque of Rashed Al Motawwa Al Dhahiri. The house is a rectangular building about 4.5 meters wide and 10.5 meters long. It has no roof, and its southern wall is destroyed. Its western wall holds one small window, while four small windows can be found in its eastern wall.
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmad Al Dhahiri House
The House is located east of the Jimi Oasis, bordering House of Abdullah bin Ahmad Al Dhahiri on the east, the oasis on the west and south, and Mosque of Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmad Al Dhahiri on the north. According to one source, the House is 300 hundred years old. The House was inherited by Mohammed, then by his son Ahmad, then by his son Sultan, who then abandoned it many years ago and remains the last person to have lived there. It is not known who built the House.
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Hemaid bin Hadheibah Al Dhahiri House
Hemaid bin Hadheibah Al Dhahiri House is located southeast of the Hili Oasis on the grounds of a farm. The site has houses to the east, the farm’s fence and a dirt road to the north, and the Fort of Hemaid bin Hadheibah Al Dhahiri to the west. The house has few plants on its southern side. About 260 years ago Hemaid bin Hadheibah Al Dhahiri the First built the house next to the date palm farms, which were the main source of food at the time.
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Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Dhahiri House
Located in the eastern part of the oasis, the site is east of the House of Mohammed bin Ahmad Al Dhahiri. To the east and north of the site is the vegetation of the oasis. On its south is the border fence of the oasis. Abdullah bin Ahmad Al Dhahiri had the house built after his marriage about 80 years ago.
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Bin Suroor Eastern House
The House is located east of Al Mu'tared Oasis. It is surrounded by farms to the north and west, and by houses to the south and east. The house is rectangular but decayed, with nothing left except the foundations of the old perimeter fence and the prominent main entrance. Next to the gate are two destroyed rooms, and to the south east are the remains of a room.
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Bin Suroor Farm House
North of Al Mu'tared Oasis rest the remains of the Bin Suroor House, completely surrounded by residential houses except to south, where there are date palm farms. The house is a ruin with little left except for the remains of the foundations of the fence that surrounded the house on all its sides except to the east. Foundations of two rooms also remain at the southeast corner.
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Bin Suroor Southern House
Located in the southeastern portion of Al Mu'tared Oasis, the site is surrounded by date palm farms on all sides except to the east where there are residential houses. On its south is an oasis access road. The House is ruinous with nothing remaining except one of its walls.
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Bin Suroor House- excavation next to the cemetery
This house is located southwest of Al Mu'tared Oasis, next to the cemetery. It is currently fenced in as a protective measure. The House is a recent archaeological find. It was discovered under sand, which preserved the buildings’ original state. The site has several rooms, a madbasa (a date syrup making facility), and an earthen mosque in the northern area.
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Abdullah bin Salem Al Darmaki House and Fort
The House and Fort are east of Al Qattara and south of Hamad bin Sultan Al Darmaki House. Al Qattara Oasis is to the west, residential neighborhoods lie to the east and south, and to the north is the entrance to the Oasis. The House and Fort are not restored and the site remains in a natural deteriorated state. Foundations of a partial perimeter fence remain, as well as evidence of a large courtyard, seven rooms, and a high tower.
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Mohammed Saleh bin Bodowwah Al Darmaki House
The House is at the northern edge of Al Qattara Oasis. To its north is the Old Qattara Souk, but it is otherwise surrounded by the oasis. The site is not restored, and it is mid-sized for structures of this type. A fence runs around the house except on the south side. The main entrance is in the middle of the eastern wall. Inside the house is a large courtyard. The remains of open-air rooms open to the courtyard from the north. A square tower stands on the northwest corner.
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Sheikh Ahmed bin Hilal Al Dhahiri Fort
The Fort is located in the Jimi/Khreis area. It is rectangular in plan and enclosed by a high fence. The fort’s upper walls support triangular balconies. The fort has two towers, one on the northern side and the other at the southeast corner. The western façade has two entrances. Rooms open onto a large courtyard with a well. There is an arched corner in the northwest of the Fort. The Fort was built by Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhahiri, one of the most important figures from the era of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa.
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Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhahiri House
The House stands on the grounds of a farm south of the Jimi Oasis. East is the House of Ahmad bin Hilal, west is the House of Rasoul Khoury. Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhahiri House is rectangular with three rooms on its northern side and one room to the south. All rooms open onto the courtyard, which has a well and an overpass (qantara) inside it. The house has two entrance doors: one on the western wall and the other on the southern wall. Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhahiri used the site as a school for memorizing the Quran and teaching pupils to write.
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Bin Jabr Al Swaidi House
Located on the western side of the Jimi Oasis, Bin Jabr Al Swaidi House is bordered by Abdullah bin Rashid Al Dhahiri House to the north, residential houses to the west, and farms to the east. The house is rectangular and preserved as a ruin. What remains are the walls of a ring fence and interior building walls. A number of rooms with no ceilings also survive.
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Hamad bin Sultan Al Darmaki House
The House is located southwest of Al Qattara Club. To its north and west is the farm of Hamad Sultan Al Darmaki, and residential houses extend to the south and east. The House is big for the time period and area. A large courtyard with a central water basin is surrounded by a number of rooms on the west. A muraba’a, the square-shaped room to receive guests, is on its north east corner.
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Abdullah bin Rashed Al Dhahiri House
The House is on the western edge of Jimi Oasis and north of Bin Hazzam Al Dhahiri Fort. It is a big house with a number of rooms and a large courtyard all. The house is ringed by the foundation remains of a perimeter fence. The site has not been restored. The House is thought to be 150 years old.
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Bin Fudhaid Al Darmaki House
In Al Qattara Oasis, north of the Heritage Village, Bin Fudhaid Al Darmaki House is nestled in with the adjacent date palm farms. The house is rectangular in plan, and some of its walls are decayed and lost. Its eastern wall holds a small window. The main entrance gate for the house was probably situated on its southern wall.
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Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Tower
This square tower (muraba’a - seebah) is located northeast of Al Ain City, in the Hili area, on a high hill. The site is 85 meters away from the main road. On the orders of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, during his governance of Al Ain, the tower was built to serve as quarters for the Governor or his deputy in that area.
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Khalifa bin Nahyan al Darmaki Tower
Another square tower (muraba’a - seebah) northeast of Al Ain City, on a high hill in the Hili area, Khalifa bin Nahyan al Darmaki Tower is about 56 meters away from the Muraba’a of Sheikh Zayed, to the west. There are residential houses on its east, date palm farms on its south, and the main road on its north.
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Muraijeb Tower
Located in southern Muraijeb Park, Muraijeb Tower is surrounded by a garden fence. It was built during the rule of the late Sheikh Shakbout bin Thiyab, who ruled after his father Sheikh Thiyab (1793 - 1816).
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Al Masoudi Tower
A cylinder-shaped tower, three meters in diameter and 12 meters high, Al Masoudi Tower was most likely built at the end of the nineteenth century on the orders of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed The First, during the rule of his father Sheikh Zayed the First. Sheikh Khalifa improved the agricultural land in the Al Ain region, where he also ordered the establishment of a new settlement named Al Masoudi.
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Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhahiri Tower
The Tower is adjacent to the southern border of the Jimi Oasis. It was built on the orders of the late Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhahiri, who is one of the most important figures during the rule of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa. Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa appointed Sheikh Ahmad as his deputy in the Jimi area to resolve local residents’ issues. The tower was built to protect the area from any attack as well as serve as an observation centre.
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Al Owair Tower
This tower is in the middle of a pebbled area in the Al Owair area, on the west side of the road connecting Al Ain to Dubai. To its east is Mashtal Al Fua’a. Al Owair Tower is built on a small hill, but nothing remains of it except a small wall that was part of its foundations.
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Al Daramka Tower
The toweris situated on a small hill north of Al Qattara police station. The remains of a round tower rising about six meters above the ground are still visible. The tower does not have an entrance; it is possible that an entrance once existed high above the ground, making it difficult for enemies to gaining access to the tower.
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Bin Rayeh Al Darmaki Tower
This large round tower rests by the northeast entrance to Hili Oasis. Though it is surrounded by a high fence, Bin Rayeh Al Darmaki Tower can be seen from a distance within the oasis, reflecting the importance of its unique position to protect the entrance to the oasis from any attack in the past.
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Saa’ Tower
Saa’ Tower is located in the Saa’ region east of Al Ain City, in the border area between the UAE and Oman. It is a round tower built from stones and mud on a high hill. Only the tower’s base remains.
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Al Muraijeb Muraba’a
This square tower (muraba’a) is located in Al Muraijeb Garden. Al Muraijeb Fort is west of the tower. Built during late Sheikh Shakhbout bin Thiyab’s era, Al Muraijeb Muraba’a has two floors with several rooms.
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Juma'a bin Rhamah Al Darmaki Mosque
Juma’a bin Rhamah Al Darmaki Mosque is located in the Hili area and is bounded to the north by a modern mosque, to the south by the oasis, and to the east and west by a palm farm and Juma'a bin Al Darmaki’s Fort. It is a small mosque with a courtyard and prayer room.
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Al Jahili Mosque
This is a small rectangular mosque with an entrance on its eastern side. It has three doorless arched gates. Two additional gates exist on the northern and southern sides respectively. All the gates lead to a roofed hall. The hall’s western wall holds a contemporary wooden door to the prayer courtyard’s. The mihrab with two side windows is located in the rectangular prayer room’s western wall.
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Al Muwaiji Mosque
North of Al Muwaiji Oasis on late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s farm, this mosque has an outdoor courtyard with three gates leading east, north, and south. From the northeastern corner rises a square minaret ending in a conical shape and a sharp apex. The prayer room opens onto the courtyard through three doors adjacent to a window. The rectangular prayer room is divided into three corridors and has three windows on both northern and southern walls. The mihrab is between two windows and centered in the room’s western wall.
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Rashed Al Mottawa Al Dhahiri Mosque
West of Al Ain Oasis, Rashed Al Mottawa Al Dhahiri Mosque is bordered to the north by Al Ain Palace Museum, to the south by a narrow walkway and farm, to the east by a dirt road, and to the west by another dirt road leading to the main street.
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Bin A’ati Al Darmaki’s Western Mosque
The Mosque is located west of Al Qattara Oasis on a high hill and is bordered by houses from the south, farms from both north and east, and the highway from the west.
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Hamad bin Sultan Al Darmaki Mosque
Located in the Al Qattara area west of Hamad Bin Sultan Fort, this mosque is bordered by farms to both west and south, by Hamad Sultan Fort to the east, and a dirt road and farms to the north.
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmad Al Dhahiri Mosque
The Mosque is located east of the Jimi Oasis. It is bordered by the oasis to both west and north, by the main street and the oasis from the east, and by the House of Mohammad bin Ahmad Al Dhahiri from the south. The Mosque is believed to be around 300 years old.
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Rashed Al Haytah Al Darmaki Mosque
Positioned at the western entrance of Al Qattara Oasis, the Rashed Al Haytah Al Darmaki Mosque is bordered by the oasis’ farms to the east and by the Heritage Café from the west and south, while the house of Rashed Al Haytah Al Darmaki faces it north.
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Abdullah bin Salem Al Darmaki Mosque
This mosque lies east of Al Qattara and north of both the House and Fort of Abdullah bin Salem Al Darmaki. The Mosque is bordered to the east by Al Qattara Oasis, to the north by a modern mosque (which belongs to the same owner as the old mosque), to the east by houses, and to the south by Abdullah bin Salem Al Darmaki Fort.
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Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhahiri Mosque
This mosque is located south of the Jimi Oasis. Several farms stretch east, west, and north from the site. The Mutawa’ room and a number of houses stretch to its south.
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Bin Hazzam Al Dhahiri Mosque
West of the Jimi Oasis and north of Bin Hazzam’s Fort, the Bin Hazzam Al Dhahiri Mosque is also adjacent to Abdullah bin Rashid Al Dhahiri’s House to the north and houses to the west.
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Saif bin Rubiaa' Al Dhahiri Mosque
Southwest of the Jimi Oasis, this mosque is surrounded by date palm farms. Built during the time of late Saif bin Al Hamia, it is situated on Khalifa Al Sewidi’s farm.
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Bin A’ati Al Darmaki Eastern Mosque
Bin A’ati Mosque is located west of Al Qattara Oasis and 200 meters east of Al Qattara Fort. The Mosque is bordered by the oasis on most sides, including the oasis entrance to the south.
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Bin Rayeh Al Darmaki Mosque
Talib Al Darmaki’s farm is the site of this mosque deep inside Al Qattara Oasis. The remnants of two walls and two-meter high ruins are still visible.
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Easa bin Sultan Al Dhahiri Mosque
In the Al Qattara area south of Al Qattara Oasis, this mosque is bordered on the south, west, and north by the oasis’ main street, and on the north by the imam’s apartment.
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Sultan Al Khumaisani Al Dhahiri Mosque
The Sultan Al Khumaisani Al Dhahiri Mosque is located in the Al Masoudi district (Al Marragh neighbourhood) behind Al Masoudi markets. It is bordered by a farm to the south, Al Masoudi markets to the north, a school to the east, and houses to the west. The mosque was built by the late Sultan bin Rashed Al Khumaisani nearly 50 years ago.
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Humaid bin Easa Al Dhahiri Mosque
The mosque is located north of Al Qattara and is bordered on the east by a farm but otherwise surrounded by the oasis on all other sides.
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Qattara Souk
This old souk (market) has several rooms that were used as shops in the past. It is located midway between Qattara and Jimi oases on Al Nakheel road near Bin Bodowwah Al Darmaki House and Bin A'ati Al Darmaki House.
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Al Qattara Southern House
A single-storey house located in Al Qattara Oasis, the Al Qattara Southern House has several rooms on its northern side while the entrance is on the eastern side. The house is surrounded by a wall. Research is under way to reveal the house’s unknown history.
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Jimi Western House
Jimi Western House is located west of Jimi Oasis near Bin Hazzam Fort. Remnants of the walls of two rooms remain. A loophole figure is in one of the walls. Research is being conducted to establish the history and the original owner of the House.
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa House
The House is found in Al Ain town centre, north of Rotana Hotel. Built in the 1960s with concrete, steel, and plaster, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa House reflects the architectural character of that period. The structure consists of two sections, one for men and one for women, and is two storeys high. The building contains chambers (uqud) on the ground floor, where rooms surround a broad courtyard.
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Al Qubaisy House
Built in the 1960s, this single-story building is located in the Mohammed bin Khalifa quarter, in the Al Moatarad district. It somewhat resembles the Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa House, and was built of stones, plaster, and some concrete. Two rows of rooms line the north and south sides of a courtyard, and the whole structure is surrounded by a wall.
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Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan Al Nahyan House
This house in the Al Markhaniya quarter in the Al Habwi district consists of a 1500-square-meter rectangular ground floor that was used as the official residence of late Sheikh Shakhbout. The house was built in 1968 by the late Sheikh Mohammad bin Khalifa.
Delma
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Al Muraykhi House
This house belonged to a pearl trader called Mohammed bin Jassim Al Muraykhi in Delma Island. Built in 1931 of coral stones and plaster, it was designed to be a secure commercial building. The ground floor holds two windowless rooms supplied with a barjeel (wind tower), which allows maxium ventilation and cooling during the simmering summer months. Recent excavations have uncovered a madbasa (date syrup facility) northeast of the house.
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Al Muraykhi Mosque
Built between 1931 and 1946 of coral stone and plaster on Delma Island, the mosque held many artifacts that have been unearthed during excavations. The mosque stands on a high platform to protect it from humidity. A single entrance leads to an open courtyard and three internal doors. These doors lead to a flat-roofed prayer room. The entrance is lined with rectangular wooden-framed windows known as darisha.
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Muhhanadi Mosque
Originally known as Said Ali Al Qubaisy Mosque, the mosque was built of coral stone and plaster that was then finished with white plaster. The courtyard is isolated from the prayer room by an open pillared gallery, which used to have two rectangular windows. An engraved drawing of boats was found on a thin plaster layer between the two windows in the gallery’s northern wall.
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Al Dawsari Mosque
Known in the past as Saeed Juma’a Al Qubaisi, it is the smallest of three mosques on Delma Island. An open courtyard extends along the eastern side of the mosque and can be reached through a door from the ablution chamber. The prayer room, on the mosque’s eastern side, has an open gallery with two windows on both sides. The prayer room’s flat roof was built of palm-leave mats, mangrove wood sticks, and knotted cane, all covered with plaster.
Liwa
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Mezair’ah Fort
Located in Mezair’ah (Mahdhar) in Liwa Oasis, the Fort is one of the largest and most important in those lands. The fort is square in plan, and its main entrance is located on the western side. Its huge courtyard is 14 meters long and 11 meters wide. There are several rooms open off the sides of the courtyard. Information about the Fort’s history is limited; however, oral tradition and local interviews suggest that the Fort was likely built in the nineteenth century and belonged to the Al Bu Falah tribe and Al Hawamil who live in Mazira’ah lands.
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Al Meel Fort
Located in Al Meel (Mahdhar) in Liwa Oasis, the Fort is surrounded by farms and date palms on three sides and by a car park on the west. The Fort’s main entrance opens to the west from its square plan. The building has a large courtyard 12 meters long and 11 meters wide. It is believed that Al Meel Fort was built during the rule of Sheikh Mohammed bin Shakhbout bin Thiyab (1816-1818), who took power after toppling his father Sheikh Shakhbout bin Thiyab, the true founder of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
80
Dhafeer Fort
Located in Dhafeer lands (Mahdhar) in Liwa Oasis, the Dhafeer Fort is bordered by the main street to the east and date palm farms around its remaining perimeter. The Fort’s main entrance opens south from a square plan. The square courtyard is 12 meters long and 12 meters wide. A doorway on the northern side of the courtyard leads to the interior of the fort. Three rooms compose the first floor, and the stairs lead to the second floor, which also has three rooms. Stairs at the second floor lead to the rooftop with Its balconies and loopholes, ventilation holes, and lighting apertures.
81
Qutoof Fort
The Fort lies in Qutoof lands (Mahdhar) in Liwa oasis. Square in plan, the Fort is bordered by houses to the south and east, and by farms and palm trees to the north and west. The main entrance is on the west side of a 15m long and 15m wide courtyard. A bench is attached to the inside wall of the fort and was used for resting and sitting during peaceful times. However, in war, the bench was used by fighters on alert to defend their fort. According to local sources, it is believed that bin Nohayman of the Al Qubeisat tribe built the fortress in the nineteenth century.
82
Al Mariah Western Fort
This fort is a cylindrical tower located in the western town of Mari (Khnour). It is bordered to the south by the main street, to the north and east by a cemetery, and to the west by houses. The round tower’s radius is 3.5 meters while its height is 11 meters. With an eastern entrance, the tower consists of two storys and a rooftop accessible by a wooden ladder from the ground floor. According to oral tradition, the tower was built and owned by the Al Mazarie tribe in the nineteenth century, part of the Bani Yas tribal confederation.
83
Um Hosn Fort
Located in Arada town in Liwa Oasis on the new road leading to Ghayathi city, Um Hosn Fort is surrounded by dunes on all sides. The structure is not renovated, and its pillars are half a meter high. On the west side, there is a round tower that is three meters high. No solid information reveals the fort’s founding nor the name of its founder, but it was likely built in the nineteenth century.
84
Al Jabbana Fort
Al Jabbana For is in Al Jabbana Town in Liwa Oasis. A sandy road leads up to the main street from the west, but it is otherwise surrounded by date palm farms. The square-plan fort has a large courtyard with the main entrance on its eastern side. No concrete information dates the building’s construction. However, based on local sources, the fort may belong to the Al Manasir tribe who live in the Al Jabbana district, and it was probably built in the nineteenth century.
85
Moqb Fort
This round tower in Liwa Oasis is dotted with numerous defensive and lighting loopholes. An outdoor stairway runs along the side of the tower. The structure is encircled by a low fence with a central door.
86
Khunoor (Al Haylah) Tower
Al Haylah Tower in Liwa is surrounded by Torq and Khunour towns. The tower rises from the heart of Mr. Mubarak Ahmad Abdullah Al Mazrouei’s farm. It was likely built in the nineteenth century during wars between Liwa residents and Ajmanis. The cylindrical tower, built of white stones and red clay bricks (sarouj), is almost eight meters high with a four meter diameter. The tower becomes conical as the building rises. Half of the first floor is below ground level, or the surrounding earth might have risen around it. The second floor has holes made of palm trunks. At the top of the tower, there are tilted and round defensive loopholes used for shooting in case of a siege.
87
Al E’dd Tower
This fenced stone tower is located west of Al Mariah Tower in Al E’dd district. It is almost one meter high and six meters long and wide. It is apparent that part of the tower has been brought down. Research about the tower’s history is still being carried out.
Other locations
88
Sir Bani Yas Mosque
The archaeological remains of this mosque were discovered in the north of Sir Bani Yas Island. It was constructed mainly of stones available on the island. The foundations of the walls indicate that the mosque was four meters wide and nine meters high, but these foundations do not rise much above ground level.
89
Ghagha Island Buildings
These are a set of buildings randomly scattered on Ghagha Island in the country’s far west. The buildings were owned by the Al Qubeisat tribe, and were likely built during the Al Qubeisat’s migration to the island because of the fishing and diving activities nearby.
90
Al Sarra Fort
The fort is located 30 kilometres east of Zayed City, only a few hundred metres away from a paved road that leads to Assab. The site consists of the remnants of a square building surrounded by a wall mostly buried under the sand. The square building, 15 metres long on each side, is considered as a small fort. Using available information and information gathered from the ruin, it was probably built in the early eighteenth century.
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