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Architecture of UAE is another major attraction of the country. Although, most
of the UAE Architecture is in Arabic style, still one finds a lot of Asian and
European influence.
In fact the architecture of UAE is changing over the years to meet the growing
needs of the people and yet we see the restoration and renovation of traditional
architecture in UAE.
As 88% of the population are urban in all the seven emirates one finds forts
and watchtowers built to protect the urban populations. The oldest fort of UAE
is the Husn of Abu Dhabi originally built in the eighteenth century to protect
the city's well. The Nahyan family around the Buraimi oasis between 1830 and
1010 built six forts in the emirate of Al -Cain. Most of the forts that reflects
the beauty of traditional UAE architecture have now been restored and converted
into museums and reflects wide variety of Islamic style and cosmopolitan nature
of the country.
In Dubai Al Fahidi fort is one of the oldest buildings and reflects the architectural
marvel of the country. It was built in 1799. This fort was the home of the ruler,
whereas hiding place for common people in case of war and attack. Nowadays,
it is transformed into Dubai Museum. Al Fahidi fort is today recognized as one
of the magnificent architectures of UAE.
Traditional Architecture in UAE is mainly in the form of vernacular style.
The major causes for such kind of architecture were climate, religion and custom.
Availability of building materials was another cause for such kind of UAE Architecture.
Sheikh Saeed Al Maktom House bolt in 1896 is another architectural marvel of
UAE that has been renovated in recent times. It attracts millions of people
across the globe.
Dubai now has some truly spectacular buildings, such as the Bur Juman shopping
center, office buildings like Emirates Towers and hotels such as Burj Al Arab
and Jumeirah Beach, all of which combine state of the art architectural design
and technique with a traditional Arabic flavor.
The houses in UAE are well ventilated and also takes care of the privacy of
the people. The most sophisticated houses in the UAE are found in the coastal
towns. A typical house of a wealthy coastal family is generally a two-storey
structure built around a central courtyard. From the outside the houses look
quite plain, although sometimes the upper parts of the walls are decorated with
crenellations and the wind-towers are decorated with elaborate arches. The rooms
of the house generally open on to the courtyard and decorated with carved stucco
panels or grilles, sometimes containing stained glass.
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