FORT AL JAHILI

Built between 1891 and 1898 at the request of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa, Governor of Abu Dhabi from 1855 to 1909, nicknamed Zayed^I, Al Jahili Fort is one of the largest in the country. It served as the summer residence of the Al Nayan royal family until it was requisitioned by the British in 1950 to expand it and turn it into a tax center.

From the parking lot, a QR code offers you to download the podcast in English of the guided tour, available on the Voicemap application. To the right of the entrance, you will also find an information center that can give you an explanatory brochure of the fort, in English. There is also a small bookstore and an area for temporary exhibitions dedicated to the history and culture of the UAE.

The old fort, square, is at the back on the left of the entrance. It consists of three small towers and the reception hall, the majlis of the ruler. Opposite, a few meters from the old fort, stands a large tower with three concentric levels, probably even older. You can access the first two levels. Reproduced on many documents, sometimes transformed into a logo by the local authorities, this building has become a national symbol. On the left after the entrance, don't miss the permanent exhibition on "The Freedom of the Desert" dedicated to the explorations of Wilfred Thesiger (1910-2003). The beauty of the landscapes and the Bedouin portraits are a source of wonder. You will then have only one desire: to leave in the desert!