Abu Dhabi - A Pictorial Souvenir

8/6/2019 Abu Dhabi - A Pictorial Souvenir

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A P I C T O R I A L S O U V E N I R

Published with the supportand encouragement of

Abu Dhabi


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Abu DhabiA P I C T O R I A L S O U V E N I R


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Published byMotivate Publishing

Dubai: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAETel: (+971 4) 282 4060, fax (+971 4) 282 0428e-mail: [email protected] www.booksarabia.com

Office 508, Building No 8, Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAETel: (+971 4) 390 3550, fax: (+971 4) 390 4845

Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Tel: (+971 2) 627 1666, fax (+971 2) 627 1566

London:Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ERe-mail: [email protected]

Original text by Jackie Schwarz

Directors: Obaid Humaid Al Tayer and Ian FairserviceSenior Editor: David Steele

Editor: Pippa Sanderson Assistant Editor: Zelda PintoSenior Designer: Andrea WillmoreBook Publishing Manager: Jeremy Brinton

Motivate Publishing 2005

First published 2005

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any materialform (including photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means)

without the written permission of the copyright holder. Applications for thecopyright holders written permission to reproduce any part of this publicationshould be addressed to the publishers. In accordance with the InternationalCopyright Act 1956 or the UAE Federal Copyright Law No 40 of 1992, any personacting in contravention of this copyright will be liable to criminal prosecution and

civil claims for damages.

ISBN: 1 86063 145 2

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book isavailable from the British Library.

Printed by Rashid Printers & Stationers LLC, Ajman, UAE


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Cover: xxxx ooooooo xxxxxxx ooooooo

Half-title page: xxxxxxxxxx oooooooooooo .

Title page: Much of old Abu Dhabi has been pulled down and replaced with modern high-rise buildings but one exception is Qasr Al Hosn, the Rulers Fort, which was built in 1795.

This spread: xoxoxoxooxox xoxoxoxoxox xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Photographic creditsSanderson, Pippa: xxSteele, David: xxx

T: top; B: bottomPhotographic creditsAbu Dhabi Aviation: 54, 59B, 64T&B, 64/65

Al Raha Beach Resort: 62

Aufschnider, Stefan: 58

Ferrari, Jorge: 56T&B, 57

Motivate Publishing: 4/5, 16T, 17, 22/23, 30, 31, 40, 42T, 43TL, 44, 55

Newington, Greg: 1, 2, 12/13, 13, 14/15, 15, 16B, 18, 19B, 24/25,

26/27, 34/35, 42B, 43TR&B, 45, 52, 80Sanderson, Pippa: 20T, 21, 34, 38/39, 46, 47, 61BL, 74, 75, 78, 79

Sunshine Tours: 36, 41

Steele, David: front cover, 8/9, 19T, 20B, 25, 32/33, 37, 38, 48/49, 52/53,

59T, 60, 61T&BR, 62/63, 66/67, 70, 70/71, 72, 72/73

Willmore, Andrea: 76, 77

T: top; B: bottom; L: left; R: right

Cover: The discovery of oil has brought great wealth to the emirate. One

visual sign of this new wealth is the seemingly endless construction ofmirrored monoliths, fashioned from the most modern materials to reflect

and complement the more traditional Islamic styles surrounding them,

epitomised by the seven-star Emirates Palace hotel.

Half-title page: Abu Dhabi has been dubbed the Manhattan of the Middle

East, typified by the towering skyline of its famous Corniche and such

modernist splendours as the Baynunah Hilton Tower.

Title page: The Qasr al-Hosn, the rulers fort, built in 1795 to enclose the

original fresh-water source found by tribesmen hunting a gazelle. The fort

remained the ruling familys seat of power, and home, until 1966.

This page: A traditional rowing boat returns home at sunset after a rowing

race, presenting an evocative reminder of earlier times.


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Around the island

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ituated on a triangular island, Abu Dhabi city isthe federal capital of the UAE. It was founded in1761 by Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa, the sheikh of the

BaniYas, whose main base was in The Liwa Oases. A

tribal legend tells of a party of hunters from The Liwawho visited the coast and saw the tracks of a gazelle(dhabiin Arabic) leading out across thesabkha (saltflats). Following the trail, they found the tracks led to anarrow inlet of the sea, which they crossed, to an island

just offshore. Their pursuit continued and they cameupon the gazelle drinking at a spring.

While the tale does not relate what happened to the

gazelle, the discovery of water on an offshore islandwas far more significant. Returning to The Liwa, thehunters reported their find to Sheikh Dhiyab, who,recognising its significance, ordered a settlement beestablished on the island, which he named Abu Dhabi,meaning either Possession of the Gazelle, Home ofthe Gazelle, or Father of the Gazelle.

During his lifetime, the late President, SheikhZayed, worked hard to turn the desert green and,subsequently, Abu Dhabi is rich with flower-filledparks, manicured public gardens and paved walkways.

Known as the Garden City of the Gulf, ongoingbeautification projects of both the Corniche and LuluIsland adjacent to the Breakwater are under way.During 2005, the Corniche underwent major recon-

struction, encompassing multi-billion dirham develop-ments, including the construction of the headquartersfor banks, government departments and oil companies.

Abu Dhabi continues to develop its meetings,incentives, conferences and exhibitions (Mice) offeringsand, under the auspices of the Abu Dhabi InternationalExhibition Centre, hosts several major events each year,some of which are the largest of their kind, including

the International Defence Exhibition (Idex) and theAbu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition andConference (Adipec).

The new Emirates Palace hotel provided the perfectbackdrop to theAbu DhabiWorld Leadership Summitin November 2005, where delegates from more than 15countries were addressed by former US President Bill

S


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Clinton and Sir Richard Branson among others.Abu Dhabis main Airport Road leads from the inter-

national airport over Al-Maqtaa Bridge to the city look out for the old watchtower that guarded the

original causeway, once the only access to the island.The Grand Mosque, also near Al-Maqtaa Bridge, iswhere the late President, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan AlNahyan, is buried.

Al-Ittihad Square, with its white monuments acannon, fort, coffee pot and incense burner set in aswirl of fountain mist marks the end of Airport Roadand the town centre. Further into town is the giant

Madinat Zayed, built to house the gold souk.The Cultural Foundation, in the centre of town, is a

modern complex in traditional Arabian style, builtadjacent to the Rulers fort (Qasr al-Hosn). Set in lushgardens and tranquil courtyards, the marble-cladbuilding, with its soaring arches, contains the NationalLibrary, housing more than 800,000 books, an audi-torium, exhibition halls and a cinema.

To the east is the Tourist Club area, one of AbuDhabis most densely populated residential areas.

Marinas, shopping malls and large hotel complexesjostle with high-rise blocks for space.

At the end of the Corniche is a bustling commercialquarter, home to Mina Zayed (Port Zayed), the DhowHarbour, the vegetable and fish markets and the Iranian

Souk, which is piled high with terracotta pots, Persiantablecloths, colourful glassware and teak furniture.The nearby Carpet Souk has thousands of woollen andsilk rugs in rainbow hues.

Continuing south along the eastern ring road, past amagnificent stand of mangroves fringing a tranquillagoon, is Abu Dhabis newest corniche, the Cornicheal-Qurm. Planted with thousands of date palms and

dotted with shaded tables, this corniche is a favouritevenue for a picnic.

Heading west again one finds Bateen a mainlyresidential area with ornate villas, palaces and mosques.

Musalla al-Eid, the Eid prayer ground, is one of thelargest in Abu Dhabi. Until his death in November2004, Sheikh Zayed used to lead prayers here at the end

of the holy month of Ramadan. There is also a grassgolf course and an equestrian club in Bateen.

At the westernmost point of Abu Dhabi island is theDiwan Amiri, a complex example of modern Middle

Eastern architecture.The road back to the airport takes you past the

industrial area on the mainland and, if you continuedfar enough, in the direction of Dubai, you would seeevidence of several ambitious agricultural andafforestation projects, along with acres of vegetablegardens, orchards and even scented roses.

One of the biggest changes oil has brought to Abu

Dhabi is the change in its society. The emirate is hometo more than 1.5-million people and is the vibrantresult of a heterogeneous population and a mix ofcultures, styles and traditions.

Until recently Abu Dhabi imported its technologyfrom abroad and an overwhelming number ofexpatriate workers made up the labour force. Whilethe number of foreign manual labourers is unlikelyto decrease, a growing number of young nationalsare being prepared at universities and colleges oftechnology to take their place in commerce, not just asfigureheads but as the business leaders of tomorrow.

Investment in and commitment to tertiaryeducation, already at a high level, is likely to double

within the next few years. The governments drive to

Emiratise 50 per cent of the oil industry within threeyears will spill over to the private sector and the effectwill be far greater numbers of Emiratis in visible roles.

Life in Abu Dhabi has changed beyond all recog-nition. Oil exports, the foundation of the emiratesenormous wealth, have provided some of the besteducational and medical facilities in the world, along

with a state-of-the-art infrastructure.

Previous spread: Situated at the site of the original causeway,

and the only access to the island, Al-Maqtaa Bridge is thegateway to the city of Abu Dhabi.


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The panoramic views from the tops of Abu Dhabis tallest buildings give a whole new perspective to thecity, and the incredible development of this desert island can be appreciated in full. It is easy to forget

that this was once a flat, barren stretch of sand, except forarish (barasti) huts and the Qasr al-Hosn,but seeing the city from above reinforces the almost unbelievable achievements of a few short years.


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Abu Dhabi - A Pictorial Souvenir