New project seeks to rehabilitate old Jahili Fort of Al Ain

Notes and media contacts

Jahili Fort - its history and rehabilitation:
Jahili Fort is a traditional mud brick fort dating from 1898. It is one of Al Ain's oldest landmarks and the largest Fort there. Jahili was built by Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa (Zayed I), Ruler of Abu Dhabi 1855 - 1909; he made the Fort his summer residence and embarked on a number of projects ranging from falaj constructions to defensive structures.

The Fort is now at the centre of an exciting conservation, restoration and development project that will preserve the values of this historic building whilst transforming the site into an active visitor destination.

When complete, the Fort will offer:
• A new visitor information centre
• A temporary exhibition gallery
• A permanent exhibition on the traveller Mubarak Bin London - Wilfred Thesiger
• A walk- through audio-visual installation on the history and development of Al Ain City.

The project is being overseen by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), the government institution responsible for conserving and promoting the heritage and culture of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Uncovering the fort's story:
Jahili Fort was built by Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa close to an existing settlement around the Jahili Oasis. An inscription over the south gate of the inner fort shows that it dates back to the 1890s.

The Fort became a symbol of the political stability Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa created during his long reign and was used as a royal summer residence.

The oldest parts of the site are the inner fort and the separate multi-tiered round tower. This may have originally been a single watchtower - a common sight in the historic landscape of Al Ain, built to guard the oases from raiders.

By 1955, the Fort buildings had fallen into disrepair. They were adapted and used by the military; housing barracks, storerooms and officers' quarters. In the 1980s, the Fort's use changed again, with the large courtyard becoming a venue for events. The present monumental entrance, flanked by large towers, was added at this time.

Recent investigations have focused on recording all the archaeological evidence at the site, so that the Fort's history can be fully documented, preserved and interpreted.

Preserving and transforming the fort:
Jahili Fort is being sensitively redeveloped using a combination of traditional materials and new technologies. These will result in a building that is environmentally and historically in harmony with its entourage, particularly, with the near-by Al Jahili Garden.

The new architectural design follows the historic floor plan and references the niches and ventilation openings of the historic building.

The 1980s arcades will be enclosed with glass, while new internal spaces will create space for the Mubarak Bin London - Wilfred Thesiger exhibition and the Visitor Centre

The construction will use traditional mud blocks, mud plaster and palm logs, reusing whenever possible existing historic building materials.

New technologies, combined with the use of mud as a building material, will keep the internal climate at a comfortable 22° C. Cold water pipes, embedded in the mud plaster, will cool the building in the summer, whilst cold air flow will be intelligently controlled by sensors, keeping its use down and so minimizing energy consumption.

Transformation:
- treatment and reintegration of the palm roof
- reintegration of the mudplaster as groundwork for the building technology
- more space through openings in the walls for the Coffee Bar, Visitor Information and Bookshop


Jahili Fort - a place to welcome visitors:
Jahili Fort will be a new cultural destination in Al Ain, with something for everyone who visits ...

A Visitor Centre, complete with shop and café, will provide information on all there is to see and do in Al Ain. Knowledgeable staff will be on hand to advise and guide visitors.

A walk-through audio-visual experience will be housed in Jahili's iconic tower. ' The Story of Al Ain ' will explore Al Ain's natural and cultural heritage, in an unusual and memorable way. Visitors will walk through a series of rooms, discovering a different theme in each. Animation, music, poetry and special effects evoking trickling water and cooling breezes will all be used to bring Al Ain's past to life.


Jahili Fort - an exhibition centre in the heart of Al Ain:
The redevelopment of Jahili Fort will include the creation of two exhibition spaces.

The Exhibitions Centre will be an internal gallery space opening-up to the courtyard of the Fort, suitable for temporary exhibitions.

Converted from the west wing of the fort, this space will be able to host up to 20 exhibitions per year.

> Bin London and Freedom of the Desert < will be a new permanent exhibition devoted to Wilfred Thesiger, who twice crossed the Empty Quarter in the 1940s. A lifelong friend of Sheikh Zayed, Thesiger knew Al Ain and enjoyed hunting and exploring on nearby Jebel Hafit. This exhibition will explore Thesiger's love of the desert and his esteem for the native Bedu who enabled him to make his journeys.

Abdul Nasser Nahar
Media Relation Manager
Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage
Office : 00971-2-6211794
Fax : 00971-2-6214472
Mobile : 00971-50-8120961
P.O.Box : 109586 Abu Dhabi