26 March 2008

Traditional Houses of Muharraq - 1

The impression most visitors get of Bahrain, is that of a rapidly growing economy with modern villas, buildings and skyscrapers, with little to show in terms of traditional sites. However, if you take the time to venture deep into the heart of Muharraq, you will find a wealth of tradition showing you what life was like in Bahrain years before the oil wealth started pouring in.


The Shaikh Isa Bin Ali House was built around the year 1800, was the residence of the ruler of Bahrain from 1869-1932, and also used as the center of government. The architecture is very distinct, with it's wall carvings and stained glass windows.



One of the most prominent features of the house is the wind tower, or Badqeer, which was the traditional method of air-conditioning. This is a small tower built with openings on four sides, which lets the cool air funnel into the room below. Visitors can feel the cool breeze as they walk into the room.


The house is open for visitors Sunday - Wednesday from 8:00am - 2:00pm, and from 8:00am - 6:00pm on Sunday and Thursday. On Fridays, the house is open from 3:00pm - 6:00pm only. The entrance fee is a whopping 200 fils (approx $0.50), so make sure you have some change handy :)

8 comments:

Moody Crab said...

Oh I want to visit Bahrain.Now!!!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful as always :-)

You should write for a magazine, seriously.

Shwaish said...

wow i love it! i want it :( is it mine?

rosh said...

Breathtaking - so much character, loved it all. Shukrans :)

KJ said...

what a wonderful place... thanks for sharing man :)

Coolred38 said...

Why why why dont they make houses like that any more...I think the loss of the family unit came about in part because the family house now really has no space for extended families...its either cram your new wife into your teenage boys room and start life from there...and wait for a govt constructed box...or ...what?

Those houses were gorgeous...Bahrain lost a lot of its heritage when it phased out these style houses.

Anonymous said...

hi
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www.musafermagazine.com
i hope to enjoy

Sultan said...

For a more artistic feel of these wintowers visit http://sultanyaqub.blogspot.com