Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, is a sprawling metropolis, home to luxury residential homes, opulent mosques high-end hotels and shopping malls. However, the city has been able to preserve its history and culture in several ways. One of them is the Qasr Al Hosn.

A far-cry from the modern buildings and monuments of the city today, Qasr Al Hasn is a simple stone structure, which is also the oldest building in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It is home to a watchtower, which is the first permanent structure of the place. You would also find two major buildings at Qasr Al Hosn: the Outer Palace and the Inner Fort.  The place was the home of the ruling family for several years. In fact, it was the ancestral home of the current ruler as well as the seat of the government, a national archive and a consultative council.  

 

A visit to the Qasr Al Hosn is a must if you want to explore the history of Abu Dhabi. While the architecture of the building is something that you would not find anywhere else in Abu Dhabi today, it is not the only reason for visiting the place. After 11 years of rigorous conservation and restoration work, Qasr Al Hosn opened as a history museum in 2018.

 

The Qasr Al Museum is a history capsule that shows you the rise of Abu Dhabi from a simple fishing village of the 18th century to the global city it is today. The museum displays artifacts, manuscripts, archival materials, etc. that date back to the 6000 BC. 

A visit to Qasr Al Hosn should be on your Abu Dhabi holiday itinerary. After all, knowing the past of the city is as important as enjoy its new, modern attractions.