DESTINATION

The warmest of welcomes

enefiting from a renewed drive for economic from bygone eras bring the to life. diversity, tourism in Kuwait is growing at a Other historical sites include the Red Palace and Bphenomenal rate. Dickson House. An important piece of indigenous And the plethora of new and forthcoming tourist architecture the Red Palace (also known as the Red attractions is not just about quantity – there’s enor - Fort) was built by Mubarak Al-Sabah in 1914/5. It mous quality too. stands 24km west of the city at what was a crucial intersection of caravan routes. The fort played a cru - cial role in the 1920 battle of Al-Jahra, in which the Kuwaitis triumphed over the invading Ikhwan. Dickson House is late 19th century and was the home of Colonel Harold Dickson who, together with his wife Violet, created the strong ties between Britain and Kuwait that still exist today. Also still remaining are Five Gates from the old n o i walled city of Kuwait. The first wall was built in 1760 t a m r and reached 750 metres. A second wall was built in o f n I r

o 1814 while a third, constructed in 1922, stretched for f y r t s

i nearly 6.5km, underscoring the city’s growth. n i M

t Although this wall was removed in the 1950s to i a w u

K allow for expansion, the five gates – Al-Jahra, Al-

: o t o Bureasi, Al-, Abdul Al-Razzaq and Al-Magsab h P – stand as a testament to the city’s eminence as a HISTORICAL SITES centuries-old trading centre. While Kuwait is always looking to the future, it is cer - tainly not forgetting its past. Recent archaeological excavations on Failaka Island – one of Kuwait’s nine islands and home of the area’s earliest civilisation – have revealed Bronze Age sites including a temple and fortress. The island was an important trading centre during the heyday of Greek civilisation and houses many Hellenistic ruins and treasures. Although a thoroughly cosmopolitan society, Kuwait has taken great steps to preserve its proud traditions and heritage. Historical attractions include the , perhaps the oldest in Kuwait and now fully restored. It is dedicated to the preservation of traditional Bedouin weaving and features the , showcasing 1,300 years of Islamic arts and crafts. Islamic art is further highlighted at Dar Al-Athar Al- PLACES OF INTEREST Islamiyah, which hosts the Al-Sabah collection, one Recent history is also respected. Commemorating of the most comprehensive in the world. This cultur - the first is Liberation Tower – the symbol of al centre is located in the , a free Kuwait. A telecommunications tower, it stands which also contains rare manuscripts and more than taller than the Eiffel Tower and features elevators 7,000 books in a specialised library. Highly accurate travelling at 6.3 metres per second – among the reconstructions of street scenes and memorabilia fastest in the world.

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YEARBOOK AND DIRECTORY 2013 – 2014 KUWAIT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT