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 previous owner, Salman bin Matar, was the largest pearl trader in the Arabian Gulf. The jeweler Jacques Cartier swore by him for his pearls, which he would then bring back to Paris or New York to be mounted 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 the house to the Franco-Bahraini Cultural Center, which organizes regular events to keep the relationship between the two countries alive. 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 exudes a soothing, almost familiar atmosphere, like an air of the Mediterranean. The restorers have gone to great lengths to preserve the period furnishings, including an old red telephone hanging on the wall, vintage to a fault. In one of the rooms, a documentary recounts the links between Lyon and Muharraq. Cultural exchanges were organized with this major French textile city: gold and silk threads produced in Lyon were used by a weaver specializing in kuraar, Bahraini embroidery. After visiting the various exhibitions, take time out to sit in the outdoor garden and enjoy this moment of tranquility.