Sharjah: His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the new Al Rolla Square Park on Tuesday as part of Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital celebrations and the UAE’s 43rd National Day celebrations.
Shaikh Sultan unveiled the commemorative plaque of Al Rolla square where he toured it and listened to a presentation on the redevelopment of the project, and the services and leisure facilities that were added to the square. Work on the redevelopment of Al Rolla Square began in early 2012.
The project comes as part of Sharjah Government’s plan to protect and preserve heritage and as part of its efforts and commitment to preservation of the emirate’s rich historical legacy.
The square’s design, which is inspired by the region’s authentic heritage, features the traditional architecture, in line with the Sharjah Municipality’s strategy to preserve UAE heritage and achieve a successful marriage between what is traditional and what is modern.
The square meets modern standards and preserves the emirate’s heritage and Islamic architectural styles. Al Rolla Square has been one of the most historical and major crowd-pullers in Sharjah for many years.
Green areas
Al Rolla Square comprises a total of 36,664 square metres. As part of this project, the municipality aims for 60 per cent of the area to be turned into green areas while the remaining 40 per cent will be used for footpaths and fountains.
The Rolla Square is a historical site in Sharjah and was named as such after the planting of the first banyan tree (locally known as Rolla tree) in the 1800s.
The tree adorned the area for nearly 150 years until 1978, and families from Dubai, Ajman and other emirates would gather near the Rolla tree and use it as a meeting point for Eid, National Day, meetings and other special occasions.
