Bastakiya District Dubai

Bastakiya District Dubai

Bastakiya District was known by the name Old Town till the time when many expatriates from the Bastak region of Iran moved in to this region to set up shops and houses. The region, now famous for the wind towers, came to be called Bastakiya District thanks to the Bastak population which made it their place of inhabitance. Historic records also prove the influx of Arabs and Sunnis from Persia and immigrants from India in this region. Intertwined with old fashioned and narrow lanes and courtyard houses in traditional designs, Bastakiya District is another region of attraction along the Dubai Creek. Buildings in Bastakiya exemplify the effective urban planning that has taken special care to preserve the century old architectural tradition of the region.

The wind towers in the region are more than mere decorative structures: experts say that wind is channeled to the houses that lie scattered between the towers and it works as a perfect cooling mechanism in the region.

Old Bastakiya region with 300 m X 200 m area is along the Dubai Creek at the Bur Dubai side. Dubai Museum or Al Fahidi Fort is another attraction in the vicinity of Batakiya District. Renovation of Bastakiya District was started in 2001 by Dubai Municipality. Tourists can witness the multi-cultural tradition of Dubai when they enter Bastakiya District. Originally inhabited by Arabs and Sunnis from Persia, this district carries a Bastakiyan appeal in all the buildings and cultural relics which constitute it.

While the Museum evokes the memories of Bastakiyan settlements in the region, the culture center here helps in the fusion and amalgamation of Persian culture with Arabic traditions. The art gallery in Bastakiyan District exhibits mainly the Persian Art forms which have borrowed aesthetic components from the Art forms of the Emirates. Restaurants and traditionally designed markets also carry a mark of Persian migration in the region. XVA is a typical example of a Persian house restored as a hotel. Other attractions include Majlis Gallery and café.

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