JAMSHEER HOUSE

The Jamsheer House, a magnificent mansion dating back to the late 19th century, was purchased by Saleh Mohammed Jamsheer at the beginning of the last century. The former owner, Salman Mattar, was the largest pearl trader in the Arabian Gulf. The jeweler Jacques Cartier swore by him to obtain the pearls that he would then bring back to Paris or New York to mount them in sumptuous ornaments. Saleh Jamsheer and the 15 members of his family lived in this house until the 1970s. Today, his son Adel has entrusted his house to the Franco-Bahraini Cultural Center, which organizes regular events to keep alive the relationship between the two countries. Renovated in 2015, it is now an oasis of calm in the heart of the souk. With its patio, whitewashed walls and blue windows, it has a soothing, almost familiar atmosphere, like a Mediterranean air. The restorers have done their best to keep the period furniture, including an old red telephone hanging on the wall, vintage as can be. In one of the rooms, a documentary tells of the links between Lyon and Muharraq. Cultural exchanges were organized with this great French textile city: the gold and silk threads produced in Lyon were used by a weaver specializing in kuraar, the Bahraini embroidery. After visiting the various exhibitions, take the time to sit in the outdoor garden and enjoy this moment of tranquility.