Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi

1 February 2025 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month Reading Time:  6 minutes

Louvre Abu Dhabi © Boubloub/cc-by-sa-4.0

Louvre Abu Dhabi © Boubloub/cc-by-sa-4.0

Saadiyat Island (for “Island of Happiness”) is a natural island and a tourism-cultural environmentally friendly project for Emirati heritage and culture that is located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The project is located in a large, low-lying island, 500 metres (1,600 ft) off the coast of Abu Dhabi island. A mixed commercial, residential, and leisure project is currently under construction on the island. When completed, Saadiyat Island is expected to become Abu Dhabi’s cultural centre, mostly for the Island’s Cultural District that is expected to include eight museums. Due to the Corona pandemic, some projects have fallen noticeably behind schedule, but are now on the way to completion.   read more…

Qaryat al-Faw in Saudi Arabia

10 October 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  7 minutes

Aerial_view_of_the_ruins of the suq (market) © Heritage Commission/cc-by-sa-4.0

Aerial view of the ruins of the suq (market) © Heritage Commission/cc-by-sa-4.0

Qaryat Al Faw was the capital of the first Kindah kingdom. It is located about 100 km south of Wadi ad-Dawasir, and about 700 km southwest of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The Al Faw archeological site reveals various features such as residential houses, markets, roads, cemeteries, temples, and water wells. It is home to a 1st century BC Old Arabic inscription written in the Ancient South Arabian script which is one of the oldest of its kind in South Arabia.   read more…

Doha Corniche

5 August 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Cityscape with the Corniche © Sanjiban ghosh/cc-by-sa-4.0

Cityscape with the Corniche © Sanjiban ghosh/cc-by-sa-4.0

The Doha Corniche is a waterfront promenade and dual carriageway extending for seven kilometres (4.3 mi) along the crescent-shaped Doha Bay in Qatar’s capital city, Doha. A lush, semi-circular linear public space, the Corniche serves as the central location for national celebrations, including Qatar National Day Parade and National Sports Day, as well as various religious, civic, and sporting events, making it one of the most popular tourist and recreational destinations in Qatar.   read more…

Prophet’s Mosque in Medina

25 July 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  8 minutes

© Wurzelgnohm

© Wurzelgnohm

The Prophet’s Mosque is the second mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in Medina, after that of Quba, as well as the second largest mosque and holiest site in Islam, after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, in the Saudi region of the Hejaz. The mosque is located at the heart of Medina, and is a major site of pilgrimage that falls under the purview of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.   read more…

Museum of Islamic Art in Doha

1 June 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month, Museums, Exhibitions Reading Time:  9 minutes

© flickr.com - Mohamod Fasil/cc-by-2.0

© flickr.com – Mohamod Fasil/cc-by-2.0

The Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) (Arabic: Matḥaf al-Fann al-Islāmī) is a museum on one end of the seven-kilometer-long (4.3 mi) Corniche in Doha, Qatar. As per the architect I. M. Pei’s specifications, the museum is built on an island off an artificial projecting peninsula near the traditional dhow harbor. A purpose-built park surrounds the edifice on the eastern and southern facades while two bridges connect the southern front facade of the property with the main peninsula that holds the park. The western and northern facades are marked by the harbor showcasing the Qatari seafaring past. In September 2017, Qatar Museums appointed Julia Gonnella as new director of MIA. In November 2022 the MIA became the first carbon-neutral certified museum in the Middle East Region. The museum participates in the Expo 2023 Doha from October 2023 until March 2024, with workshops and events focusing on biodiversity and sustainability.   read more…

Shibam in Yemen

9 May 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  7 minutes

© Maria Gropa/cc-by-sa-3.0-igo

© Maria Gropa/cc-by-sa-3.0-igo

Shibam Hadramawt is a town in Yemen. With about 7,000 inhabitants, it is the seat of the District of Shibam in the Governorate of Hadhramaut. Known for its mudbrick-made high-rise buildings, it is referred to as the “Manhattan of the Desert” or “Chicago of the Desert”.   read more…

Katara Cultural Village in Doha

1 April 2024 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, House of the Month Reading Time:  7 minutes

© Davide Mauro/cc-by-sa-4.0

© Davide Mauro/cc-by-sa-4.0

Katara Cultural Village, also called Katara, is a cultural and commercial complex in Doha, Qatar, located on the eastern coast between West Bay and the Pearl. It was soft-opened in October 2010 during the Doha Tribeca Film Festival.   read more…

Jumeirah in Dubai

6 December 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Jumeirah Archaeological Site © Sahil.latheef/cc-by-sa-4.0

Jumeirah Archaeological Site © Sahil.latheef/cc-by-sa-4.0

Jumeirah is a coastal residential area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates mainly comprising low rise private dwellings and hotel developments. It has both expensive and large detached properties as well as more modest town houses built in a variety of architectural styles. The area is popular with expatriates working in the emirate and is familiar to many tourists visiting Dubai.   read more…

Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi

20 August 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Abrahamic Family House model © flickr.com - U.S. Embassy Jerusalem/cc-by-2.0

Abrahamic Family House model © flickr.com – U.S. Embassy Jerusalem/cc-by-2.0

The Abrahamic Family House is an interfaith complex on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The undertaking was inspired by the Document on Human Fraternity signed by Pope Francis on behalf of the Catholic Church and Ahmed El-Tayeb on behalf of the al-Azhar Mosque on Feb. 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi. It houses the St. Francis Church, Imam Al-Tayeb Mosque and Moses Ben Maimon Synagogue in separate structures.   read more…

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