Dubai: The UAE patriotic spirit can be seen in its series of ancient traditional locations that are regularly maintained by the government to ensure its original landmarks stand high to express the genuine attachment between Emiratis and their inherited architectural culture.
Notable are sites in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah. The UAE is recognised as one of the popular destinations in the world. There's a huge thirst for knowledge of its history either from tourists or from young locals. This has played a part in generating interest in the educational aspect of the old architecture of the seven emirates.
Vintage buildings
Ajman has a lot to educate visitors about. Its fort reflects a bygone period in the country. The fort, according to historic studies, dates back to the late decades of 18th century and was made of Coral Sea stones and gypsum.
It was considered the first defence line in the emirate. The fort was used as a residency of the ruling family until 1970, and then officially turned into museum by order of the emirate's ruler. The museum combines antique representing traditional industries, traditional professions and pictures of a past social life.
The classic buildings seen in Umm Al Quwain, the emirate's name is derived from the Arabic phrase ‘Umm Al Quwatain, which means "Mother of two powers".
The emirate is famous for its museum which was constructed, according to the historic studies, in 1768. The museum is a reflection of the emirate's old style of living and contains a variety of antiques.
Items on display
There are booklets and pamphlets for guests, explaining the history of all the items on display. Most of the items date back to the Roman Empire. Because of this, there are daily visits from tourists as well as students from schools, colleges and universities who want to explore the history of the emirate.
Scientific researchers are permanent visitors to the museum as they come to authenticate their thesis with information from the museum's records.
Fujairah fort is recognised as the most photographed fort for many reasons. One reason is its hilltop location, which gives it an exceptional view in the morning sun. The fort is still surrounded by a number of old houses.
According to records, the fort was built in 1670. It was made up of a mud brick structure with three main divisions, various halls, a square tower and two round towers.
It is considered the oldest fort in the UAE and was the residence for the ruling family of the emirate.
It also served as a defence post for many centuries. The fort stood as the only solid structure along the coast.
Fujairah Museum has a lot of documented stories about the emirate's past. It has displays of many artifacts that were discovered in archaeological excavations in sites such as Qidfa and Bithnah as well as other sites.
The museum is located south of the fort and opposite the Ruler's Palace.
