Visit Al Fahidi Historic District

Wandering around Bur Dubai's renovated historical district delivers a genuine feeling of traditional Middle Eastern architecture and culture. This calm maze of alleyways in Al Fahidi Historic District is flanked by low-lying traditional courtyard dwellings, many of which have arabesque windows, artistic gypsum screens, and wind towers. Craft stores, tiny historical museums, art galleries, artistic guesthouses, and cafés selling local delicacies, such as Middle Eastern breakfasts and camel milk smoothies, may be found in some. The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding organizes walking tours of the quarter.

Half of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood hamlet was demolished in the 1980s to make space for the construction of a new office complex. The surviving residences were largely repurposed as warehouses or to house foreign employees. The Dubai Municipality ordered the demolition of the remaining sections of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood in 1989. Rayner Otter, a British architect, visited the region and renovated the house where he was staying extensively. Rayner began a preservation effort and addressed a letter to Prince Charles, who was slated to visit Dubai that year. When Prince Charles arrived, he requested to see Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood and visited the entire region with Rayner Otter. During his visit the Prince suggested that Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood should be preserved and the demolition was canceled.

Location: Al Fahidi Street, Dubai