Top Places to Visit in the UAE: Must-See Historical Attractions

Table of contents:

• Al Fahidi Fort 🐫
• Jazirat Al-Hamra 🕌
• Hatta Heritage Village 👳🏾
• Al Badia Mosque 🕋
• Jumeirah Mosque ☪
• Al Bastakiya 🧕🏼
• Old Bazaar 🐪
• Al-Ahmadiyya School 🧞‍♂️
• Saruq Al Hadid Archaeological Museum 🖼️
• Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum’s House 🛕
• Burj Nahar 🧕

Interesting historical places in the UAE to visit

The UAE has incredible skyscrapers and numerous high-rise buildings. This country also boasts a huge number of amazing cultural places that have a long history. Currently, the United Arab Emirates is considered one of the most visited countries in the world. More than 20,000,000 people come here every year.

Al Fahidi Fort

The presented attraction was built in 1787 next to Dubai Bay. At the moment, the Dubai Museum is located there. From the very beginning, it was the residence of the monarch.

In addition, the Al Fakhri Fort was used as a defense structure, prison, and armory. Now, the fort is one of the most popular museums in the city. Visitors can explore the incredible history of Dubai at this place. It is visited by more than 2,000 tourists every day. The fort is great for history buffs.

The museum gallery now houses many artifacts from when oil was discovered in these areas. The fort amazes visitors with its incredible full-size dioramas when tourists pass through the door next to the gallery. In addition, you can see the work of various craftsmen: tailors, blacksmiths, carpenters, and others.

Jazirat Al-Hamra

If you want to explore a historical site and get an adrenaline rush, you should visit Jazirat Al Hamra – this village is often referred to as a ghost town.

According to urban legend, this area was inhabited by genies or spirits from the folklore of Islamic culture. Generally, the present village was built in the 14th century.

Now, tourists who visit Ras al-Khaimah can enjoy the incredible scenery of the ghost town and visit the historical site, which is almost in ruins. It is unlikely to see ghosts, but there are ancient houses, ancient mosques, and other buildings here.

Hatta Heritage Village

Continuing the theme of ancient villages, visiting the Hatta Heritage Village is okay. It is over 3,000 years old. If you want to learn more about life on the outskirts of Dubai, you should visit this place.

This settlement was restored and opened to tourists in 2001. There are several castles, a fort, and other original buildings on the territory. History buffs can also study ancient original weapons. The mountain village offers tourists many aspects of life in historical times.

In addition to the village itself, the village also offers the perfect surrounding scenery of the incredible Hajar mountain range. It is also home to date trees and a majestic expanse of barren land.

Suppose you want to visit a few incredible historical sites at a time, and you’re coming in a rental car. In that case, visiting the Bait Al Wali Governor’s Residence is also worth visiting, where many artifacts are on display.

Al Badia Mosque

The presented building is one of the oldest mosques in the United Arab Emirates, which has survived until our time. The mosque is located in the emirate of Fujairah.

Historians believe it was built in the 15th century, while it is not similar to modern mosques in the Emirates. It is a small, rather simple, incomparable building with mosques decorated with marble and semi-precious stones.

The presented attraction is made in a rustic style and allows you to understand exactly how you lived in the Emirates before the prosperity of this country began.

Jumeirah Mosque

This landmark is one of the most valuable architectural monuments in Dubai. It is an offering of the late Sheikh Al Maktoum. If you study the features of the mosque’s architecture in more detail, you will notice that its design is in the style of Syria and Egypt.

A small building can accommodate up to 1500 people at a time. If you are making a cultural program, visiting the Jumeirah Mosque should be on your list.

Al Bastakiya

Now, the presented attraction is called the House of Museums and Galleries. The presented neighborhood occupies quite an important place in the history of the United Arab Emirates.

This quarter is considered Dubai’s oldest residential area, built in the 19th century, during the construction of buildings using gypsum, coral, clay, and palm wood. In addition, there are wind towers here, which allowed the locals to cope with the intense heat in those times. You can always use Renty for a comfortable trip.

Old Bazaar

This landmark now consists of a large number of small stores where you can find a variety of goods. At first sight, the Old Bazaar attracts attention with its colorful cushions, candles, and fabrics. If you want to see the historical sites by car and take local souvenirs with you, it is worth visiting this place.

You can buy fabrics, clothes, shoes, and other souvenirs here. Rent a car is not that difficult if you know where to look. For example, services such as Renty offer a lot of models for different tastes and budgets.

In addition, there are a large number of tailors working in the market who offer their services to buyers. You can buy handmade fabrics in the Old Bazaar for quite normal money. You can get a good discount if you don’t mind haggling.

Al-Ahmadiyya School

If you want to experience the educational culture of the UAE in the early twentieth century, this place is worth a visit. The featured school was the first national semi-structured educational institution in the Kingdom of Dubai.

Tourists can see what the traditional exterior and interior classrooms looked like at the time and learn about other features of the structure of the institution of record. In addition, it will also be possible to see what kind of writing utensils the students used at the time, what their study aids looked like, and much more.

Saruq Al Hadid Archaeological Museum

This museum is located in the historic structure of the Shindagha Heritage District in Dubai. It is best to rent a car to get to this place as it is easier, faster and more convenient. This historical attraction offers to explore the most fascinating and mysterious archaeological sites discovered in the country.

Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House

This historical attraction is a real residential paradise of the past ruler. It is visited by thousands of tourists every year. This building has a large number of closed and open wings. In addition, there are several air towers here that have the name of Barajil.

The Sheikh’s house has now been transformed into a museum, where numerous exhibitions on the daily life and history of the great Sheikh and his family members are regularly organized. In addition, the house has many artifacts from the time of the great ruler’s life: ancient coins, jewelry, stamps, and much more.

Burj Nahar

It is a beautiful historical place in Dubai. The creation of this marvelous monument was in 1870. It has the form of one of the 3 water towers. From the very beginning, the use of these towers was to watch the movement of enemy tribes around the city of Deira.

This landmark is of great importance to the history of the UAE because it was built in ancient times, and coral stone and clay were used in the construction of the tower.

At the moment, Burj Nahar is a picturesque garden located on one of the outskirts of the city of Deira. Incredible date trees are growing around the tower, and a landscaped garden is attractive.

You can take beautiful photos here. Many tourists visit the tower every year looking to learn the history of this place and take colorful photos.

Summarizing

Founded in 1971, the UAE is a burgeoning tourist destination with stunning skyscrapers and a deep-rooted history spanning millennia.

For a time-efficient and enriching experience, especially if you’re eager to explore numerous attractions, delve into historical sites, and grasp local culture, consider an option to rent a car in UAE. This not only offers flexibility and comfort but also significant cost savings compared to pricey taxis and limited public transport.