The Qasr Al Hosn (, ''Qaṣr al-Ḥuṣn'', "Fortified Palace") is a historical landmark and the oldest stone building in the city of

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most popu ...

, the capital of the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

. Its construction was supervised by Mohammed Al Bastaki in 1761.

Location

It is located along Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum St and is a part of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation.

History

Qasr Al Hosn, also known as the ''White Fort'' (originally not white in colour but painted bright white during 1976–1983 renovations) or ''Old Fort'', was constructed in 1761 as a conical

watchtower A watchtower or guardtower (also spelt watch tower, guard tower) is a type of military/paramilitary or policiary tower used for guarding an area. Sometimes fortified, and armed with heavy weaponry, especially historically, the structures are ...

to defend the only freshwater

well A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...

in Abu Dhabi island. The tower was later expanded into a small fort in 1793 by the then ruler,

Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan () was the Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi from 1793 to 1816, now part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Political career Sheikh Shakhbut was the eldest son (or brother) of Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa Al Nahy ...

, and became the permanent residence of the ruling

Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

. The tower took its present shape after a major extension in the late 1930s, aided by revenues received for granting the first oil license in Abu Dhabi. It remained the emir's palace (hence the name Qasr Al Hosn, meaning Palace fort) and seat of government until 1966. The fort had been refurbished several times and is now partially open to the public.

Current use

The Qasr Al Hosn is currently the subject of extensive historical, archaeological, and architectural research. The fort houses a museum displaying artifacts and pictures representing the history of the country. It also has a range of weapons, used through the region's history, on display.

Qasr Al Hosn festival

Qasr Al Hosn festival is an annual 11-day cultural event staged on the grounds of the fort. The fort is open to the public during the festival, including some of the restricted areas and features live music and dance performances showing the UAE's cultural heritage.

References

External links

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Official Website
{{coord, 24.48239, N, 54.35482, E, source:placeopedia, display=title Buildings and structures in Abu Dhabi Buildings and structures completed in 1761 Buildings and structures completed in 1793 Forts in the United Arab Emirates Tourist attractions in Abu Dhabi 1761 establishments in Asia