BAB AL BAHRAIN

Bab al-Bahrain marked the entrance to the country for any visitor. More than a gate, it is a vast building that was also the former office of King Salman ibn Hamad Al-Khalifa. The gate was built in 1949 and designed by the British advisor to the royal family Sir Charles Belgrave. However, it is difficult to imagine that at the time, in front of this ceremonial arch, was the port of Manama. Extensive land reclamation has pushed the sea back several kilometers and today a vast parking lot has replaced the lapping of the water. As soon as you enter the building, you are immediately plunged into the atmosphere of the old city where the scents of yesteryear still float. The Ministry of Culture has set up its offices there and is developing this emblematic place of Bahrain to bring it a tourist interest. King Salman's cabinet is once again open to the public, and one can discover the royal furniture as well as archival photos. The Bahrain Tourist Office was inaugurated there. Very well done, you can find all the information you need to organize your visits in the archipelago, as well as some archaeological pieces. Stores have also been installed. A favorite meeting place for Bahrainis, you will often pass by there, especially after your shopping sessions in the souk, because it is the ideal place to find a cab, they watch for the shoppers all day long, and this until late at night. It is at night that Bab Al Bahrain reveals all its splendor, lit from all sides!