Sharjah Pictorial Tour
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Transcript of Sharjah Pictorial Tour
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SHARJAHA P I C T O R I A L T O
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SHARJAHA PICTORIAL TOUR
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The Sharjah we see today its spectacular architecture
education and the way it has embraced the 21st centu
long heritage is a glowing testament to the wise lead
Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, wduring the past ew years to make the emirate vibrant
Islamic architecture that makes the emirate so unique a
and character.
The United Arab Emirates, which was ounded in 1
emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras al-K
and Ajman. The UAE
position at the centr
astest-growing reg
Arica and the Ind
access to an eme
a billion people.
Sharjah, the c
emirate, has witn
in the past 40 ye
by the discovery
gas. The huge rnatural resourc
a range o ven
class airport, p
and the pres
heritage, to
While Sha
traced back 6,
have witnessed more change in the past our decades
preceding six millennia, yet our traditions and culture s
everyday lives. Justiably proud o our Arabian heritage
pursued a vision to restore or recreate our nest herita
traditional buildings, and display within them our rich
customs. These endeavours have received internationa
we were chosen by Unesco as the rst Cultural Capital
INTRODUCTIOPublished by Motivate Publishing
Dubai: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE
Tel: (+971) 4 282 4060, fax: (+971) 4 282 7593
e-mail: [email protected] www.booksarabia.com
Office 508, Building No 8, Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAE
Tel: (+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 3ER
e-mail: [email protected]
Researched and written by Pippa Sanderson
Directors: Obaid Humaid Al Tayer
Ian Fairservice
Senior Editor: David Steele
Editor: Pippa Sanderson
Deputy Editor: Jennifer EvansAssistant Editor: Zelda Pinto
Senior Designer: Andrea Willmore
Designer: Chitt Francisco
Book Publishing Manager: Jeremy Brinton
Motivate Publishing 2006
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or
storing in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of the copyright holder. Applications
for the copyright holders written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the
publishers. In accordance with the International Copyright Act 1956 and the UAE Federal Copyright Law No 40 of
1992, any person acting in contravention of this will be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
ISBN: 1 86063 169 X
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Printed by Rashid Printers & Stationers LLC, Ajman, UAE.
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oer a variety o items in a beautiul, souk-like atmosphere. I
cratsmen and artisans practice their arts and crats while sel
The emirate enjoys a unique advantage over its peers, in th
the west and east coasts o the UAE. We capitalised on this lo
creating the Sharjah Link connecting the deep-water conta
the East Coast, Hamriyah and Khaled ports on the West Coast
Airport, by a modern highway.
Although petroleum and gas still remain Sharjahs primar
tourism, guided by Islamic principles, is now playing an eve
long-term uture and we have embarked on several project
this growth, with the construction o an additional three w
in addition to the existing malls and nine souks. The souks
their splendour to anyone passing by.
O course, this is not the whole picture. Sharjah relies on diverse commercial enterprises to generate revenue, playing
rom the chemical, metal, toiletry and ood and beverage in
the construction industry and, perhaps surprisingly, agricultu
rapidly with heavy investment in salt-tolerant fora and wate
emirates desert areas.
Yet, what makes the success o Sharjah all the more rema
the dictates and pressures o the rapidly evolving 21st centu
compromised our rich heritage, values and traditions.
Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi
Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah
This commitment to the preservation o our heritage has also extended to the
hosting o numerous ne-arts events such as the Sharjah International Biennial o
Contemporary Art, and the improvement o the c itys educational inrastructure, which
began more than a century ago in 1903, when the emirate opened the rst school in
the country, based on traditional Islamic methods.
The rst modern school was opened in Sharjah in 1953 and was ollowed by a
school or girls in the late 1960s. Sharjah has since become one o the most important
learning centres in the Middle East, a result o Dr Sheikh Sultans vision and dedication
to education and culture. To continue and reinorce this pioneering status, we
established University City in the late 1990s, a seven-college campus o awe-inspiring
architectural splendour, aliated with several well-known universities in the United
States and Britain.
At the head o University City is the American University o Sharjah and, lining
either side o the central avenue, is the University o Sharjah, the Higher Colleges oTechnology, Sharjah Police Academy, Sharjah Institute o Technology, the College o
Fine Arts and the Medical College. The buildings housing the American University o
Sharjah and University o Sharjah are particularly impressive and eature classic Islamic
architecture, which orms a portrait o the city o Sharjah.
Khaled Lagoon is Sharjahs centrepiece and a stroll along its corniche at sunset will
oer a glimpse into our culture and traditions. The lagoon, along with its neighbour,
Al Khan Creek, eatures signicantly in this book or the simple act that these two
waterways, now linked by the Qasba Canal at the centre o a major heritage-themed
development project, eatured signicantly in our past. Qanat al-Qasba is the place
where amilies rom all nationalities experience Arab traditions and understand the
cultural heritage, which is rich in creativity and cratsmanship. Qanat al-Qasba houses
a number o restaurants, coee shops and waterront terraces, an international
circus, a theatre and a cinema, as well as 'The Eye o the Emirates', an air-conditioned
observation wheel oering unrivalled views o Sharjah and beyond to Dubai. Shops
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Above: Archaeological excavations near Mleiha, between Dhaid and Madam,
have revealed the sites of a number of ancient settlements.
Right: Human habitation in Sharjah can be traced back some 6,000 years.
The small community, which was believed to have been called Sarcoa,
concentrated on farming and hunting, and coastal fishing and pearling, as
principal sources of food and trade. In the more combative times of the past,
their livelihoods and safety and security had to be guarded fiercely.
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Above: Hospitality runs deep in Arabian culture and nowhe
evident than in the drinking of coffee from a traditional coff
Left: The dhow on the shore in the still of an Arabian night
timeless sight. It's only the modern street lighting and moto
the scene as coming from contemporary times.
Previous spread: The UAE military band in full swing provid
tainment for the crowd during the Sharjah Heritage Days fe
vibrant sight, traditional bagpipes add to a heady mix of br
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Falconry is an integral part of desert traditions and was originally developed
for the practical reason of supplementing a diet of milk, bread and dates with
meat. Both saker and peregrine falcons were employed, with an occasional
lanner falcon thrown into the mix. Their principal quarry was the houbara
bustard and stone curlew. Nowadays, falconry is a popular sport.
The performance of traditional dancing presents a vibrant s
some 10 different genres with distinct identities; the most p
ayyalahand liwa. The liwaoriginates from East Africa and i
ing of a long flute like instument called a mizmar, which is a
the rapid beat of several drums, such as the shindo, jasser
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Three small boats in the still
waters of Al Khan Creek bask
in the rays of a stunning sunset,
with the central business district
of Sharjah in the distance.
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