Museum in Al Fahidi Fort in Dubai
Dubai Travel Information DubaiCity DubaiCity.com Travel Guide and City Information. http://www.dubaicity.com Museum in Al Fahidi Fort in Dubai Al-Fahidi Fort, built in 1800, is home to the Dubai Museum, and is thought to be Dubai's oldest building. In the past the fort was used to defend the town from warlike neighbouring tribes. It has also served, at various times throughout history as the seat of government, the ruler's residence, a store for ammunition, and a jail. The walls of the fort are built from coral and shell rubble from the sea, and are cemented together with lime. Wooden poles called handel support the upper floor, and the ceiling is made of palm fronds, mud and plaster. A massive, iron-studded door stands at the entrance, and its battle-scarred walls and towers bear witness to the conflicts of the past. When the Museum was opened by the ruler of Dubai in 1971, its main aim was to furnish a record of the Emirate's traditional life, much of which is fast disappearing. Local antiquities have been collected and stored, along with artifacts from many African and Asian countries, trading partners with the Emirate, throughout its long commercial history. At the Museum's entrance, the visitor can browse through a collection of old maps of the Gulf and the Emirates, together with aerial photographs showing Dubai's considerable urban expansion between 1960 and 1980. 1 / 3 Dubai Travel Information DubaiCity DubaiCity.com Travel Guide and City Information. http://www.dubaicity.com Inside, a treasure trove awaits.
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