Holding fort

Al Hisn Museum in Sharjah is startlingly unique

Unlike many modern buildings on both sides of Bank Street, the business heart of Sharjah, Al Hisn Museum (Sharjah Fort) stands apart, startlingly unique.

Within its walls are chronicled the history of the emirate and the relationship between the Al Qawasim Ruling Family and the people of Sharjah – a history of nostalgia for a glorious past.

Built in 1820, the fort was used as a residence of the ruling family in Sharjah, headquarters for the local government, and then as a home for the beloved memories of the Sharjah people inherited one generation after another.

It was a social centre and a public forum, where citizens used to meet for happy and sad occasions. It became a symbol of their pride as well as their safe resort.

Built by His Highness the late Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, it preserved its official as well as public status until 1969, when a part of the house was removed due to structural changes the city underwent.

The fort was once the residence of many former rulers and also the headquarters for the government. Since its construction in 1820, the fort has played an important role in the development of the emirate's social, commercial, political and military activities.

The fort was rebuilt under the instructions and guidance of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, in 1996, and was given the status of a museum, which is open to the public.

The restoration of the fort has been a major project because all that remained of it were two perimeter walls and a 12-metre tower.

With the help of old photographs, documents and local knowledge obtained from the elderly in the emirate, the Directorate of Heritage reconstructed the fort in 1996. Its history can be traced from the plaque just inside the main entrance.

The fort itself is divided into two levels, and the three towers – Al Muhalwasa, Al Kabs and Muabaa Mishriff – are joined by rooms and halls, surrounding a large central courtyard.

Each room has a theme dedicated to the various stages of Sharjah's development and events, which helped shape the emirate's history.