Bahrain is an archipelago made up of 33 islands located off the coast of Saudi Arabia. It has been one of the Gulf’s most important commercial crossroads for over 4,000 years. With a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-denominational society, Bahrain is an attractive destination for expat families. Here’s a list of the top 8 places to see if you find yourself in Bahrain.
1) Bahrain National Museum
The Bahrain National Museum is the crowning achievement of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s ongoing efforts to preserve the nation’s heritage and history – efforts which began in 1957 when the first exhibition of the artefacts discovered by the Danish archaeological expedition was held at Al-Hidaya Al-Khalifiya in Muharraq.
Built on a central location between Manama and Muharraq, Bahrain National Museum houses 9 main halls, and classifies the accumulated heritage of the Kingdom of Bahrain into 6 different sections. Visitors to the museum will be taken on a 4,000 year journey through time as they pass through its halls, from the traditional handicrafts hall, to the customs and traditions hall, burial mounds hall, ancient documents and manuscripts hall, Tylos hall, and Islamic period hall.
Visiting hours: Daily from 8am-8pm
2) Bait Al Quran
Housed in a spectacular Arabic script engraved building, this distinguished museum showcases a significant collection of Quranic manuscripts and scriptures dating back to the 7th century. Many copies of the Quran you will see are works of art in themselves. Some miniature copies can fit in the palm of the hand and Quranic verses have been inscribed on a grain of rice. In addition to its important historical collection, Bait Al Quran exhibition space often hosts varied art exhibitions while housing a small mosque, distinguished library and learning environment for Islamic teaching.
Visiting hours: Sat-Wed, 9am to 12pm, 4pm to 6pm.
3) Bu Maher Fort Visitor Center
Bu Maher Fort is located in the south of the city of Muharraq, and was first built during the Portuguese occupation of Bahrain. The Bu Maher Fort visitor centre aims to introduce the public to the architectural character that went hand in hand with the traditional pearling trade, as well as highlighting its surrounding environment both within Bahrain and beyond, and building an understanding of the social components of that era.
The Bu Maher Fort Visitor Center can be accessed via the sea aboard boats which depart from the National Museum harbor.
Visiting hours: Daily, 10am – 6pm.
4) Bab Al Bahrain
Bab Al Bahrain is located at the entrance to the Manama Souq in Bahrain’s capital city Manama. Built in 1949, it once housed the government’s administrative offices and overlooked the sea. Bab Al Bahrain has undergone many big changes over the years but the Ministry of Culture undertook a project to preserve it as a cultural landmark and thus restored it to its former glory and eventually moved its tourism sector offices and visitor’s center into the building.
Behind Bab Al Bahrain is the old Manama Souq. The souq is a vibrant collection of shops offering a wide range of goods from textiles, spices, incense, perfumes, handicrafts and souvenirs, as well as more modern products from all over the world. There are also a number of traditional coffee shops.
Visiting hours: Sat – Thur, 9am-12:30pm, 4pm – 8pm.
5) Old Houses of Muharraq
Muharraq, the former capital of Bahrain, is known for its cultural contributions through the many restored traditional Bahraini houses that can be found amidst the narrow lanes. The Sheikh Isa bin Ali House is Bahrain’s most impressive example of Gulf Islamic architecture featuring four courtyards, beautifully carved wooden doors, and perforated gypsum panels.
The collection of houses include the Sheikh Ebrahim Lecture Hall, Iqra Children’s Library, Heraf al Diyar, Nukhida House (the first house to be restored along the Pearling Path), Kurar House, Abdullah al Zayed House, Bin Matar House, Bu Zaboon House, Mohammed bin Faris House that all showcase different aspects of Bahrain’s rich heritage.
6) Al Fateh Grand Mosque
The grand Al Fateh Mosque is both Bahrain’s largest place of worship and among one of the largest mosques in the world. It was built under the patronage of the late Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa in 1987 and was named after Ahmed Al Fateh. The mosque accommodates up to 7000 worshippers and is crowned with the largest fiberglass dome in the world. The walls of the mosque are beautifully ornamented with Kufic calligraphy.
7) Al Khamis Mosque
Built around 692 AD, Al Khamis Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in the Arab world. The identical twin minarets on this ancient Islamic monument make it easily recognizable. The foundation dates back to the 11th century and has been rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries. During this reconstruction the twin minarets were added.
8) Bahrain National Theatre
Bahrain National Theatre opened in November 2012 under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Built on an area of about 12,000 m2 overlooking the sea, the 1,001-seat theatre is located next to the Bahrain National Museum. Its unique architectural design and wood-covered interior walls draw inspiration from the tales of 1,001 Arabian Nights. The Bahrain National Theatre is one of the largest theatres in the Arab world, and is the third largest opera house in the Arab world after the Cairo Opera House in Egypt and the Royal Opera House Muscat in Oman.
Visit the Bahrain Tourism and Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities website for more.
