Al Fahidi Fort

In front of you is the oldest building still standing in Dubai. It is not its size that impresses but its age: when its first tower went up, this place was a small village of fishermen and pearl divers.

1A tower to watch the desert and the sea

The oldest part is the round watchtower, usually dated to around 1787. It was built with whatever was at hand: blocks of coral and shells taken from the sea, bound with lime mortar. Walls and further towers were added later, forming a square enclosure that protected the settlement on its landward side.

2Five lives in one building

Over the years the fort served as the ruler’s residence and seat of government, as an arms and ammunition store, and even as a prison. In 1971, the same year the United Arab Emirates was born, the Dubai Museum opened inside, and in 1995 underground galleries were added with scenes of life before oil: the souk, pearl diving, the Quranic school and the desert.

It was the first major museum in a city that, within a few decades, would erase almost all of its earlier landscape.

In recent years the fort has undergone a restoration and museum renewal project, so check its status on the official website before planning a visit inside.

3What to look for

• The round tower, the oldest part of the complex.
• The texture of the walls, where you can make out the coral stone beneath the plaster.
• The contrast in scale between the fort and the minaret of the mosque next door.