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SHARJAH

A PICTORIAL TOUR

Published with the support and encouragement of

SHARJAH
A PICTORIAL TOUR

Published by Motivate Publishing Dubai: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE Tel: (+971) 4 282 4060, fax: (+971) 4 282 7593 e-mail: books@motivate.ae 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: motivateuk@motivate.ae Researched and written by Pippa Sanderson Directors: Senior Editor: Editor: Deputy Editor: Assistant Editor: Senior Designer: Designer: Book Publishing Manager: 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.

Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Ian Fairservice David Steele Pippa Sanderson Jennifer Evans Zelda Pinto Andrea Willmore Chitt Francisco Jeremy Brinton

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 Emirates Printing Press, Dubai

Captions Page 1: The next generation of UAE nationals familiarise themselves with their heritage. Page 2: Al Husn Fort used to stand alone in the desert. Now it's in the centre of a roundabout. Page 5: Sharjah's nationals are keen to help out visitors whenever they can. Page 6/7: The Heritage Area has been renovated and provides ample photographic opportunities.

INTRODUCTION
The Sharjah we see today its spectacular architecture, commitment to culture, education and the way it has embraced the 21st century without detriment to a long heritage is a glowing testament to the wise leadership and vision of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, who has worked tirelessly during the past few years to make the emirate vibrant and glorious. It is the Islamic architecture that makes the emirate so unique and gives Shajah its charm and character. The United Arab Emirates, which was founded in 1971, is composed of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Umm al-Qaiwain and Ajman. The UAE is located in a strategic position at the centre of three of the worlds fastest-growing regions the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent with access to an emerging market of more than a billion people. Sharjah, the countrys third-largest emirate, has witnessed rapid development in the past 40 years, largely made possible by the discovery of oil and, more recently, gas. The huge revenues accrued from our natural resources have been invested in a range of ventures, including a worldclass airport, ports, overall infrastructure and the preservation of our national heritage, to name but a few. While Sharjahs history can be traced back 6,000 years or more, we have witnessed more change in the past four decades than in the whole of the preceding six millennia, yet our traditions and culture still play vital parts in our everyday lives. Justiably proud of our Arabian heritage, we have proactively pursued a vision to restore or recreate our nest heritage districts and their traditional buildings, and display within them our rich history, culture and customs. These endeavours have received international acclaim and, in 1998, we were chosen by Unesco as the rst Cultural Capital of the Arab World.

This commitment to the preservation of our heritage has also extended to the hosting of numerous ne-arts events such as the Sharjah International Biennial of Contemporary Art, and the improvement of the citys educational infrastructure, 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 followed by a school for girls in the late 1960s. Sharjah has since become one of the most important learning centres in the Middle East, a result of Dr Sheikh Sultans vision and dedication to education and culture. To continue and reinforce this pioneering status, we established University City in the late 1990s, a seven-college campus of awe-inspiring architectural splendour, afliated with several well-known universities in the United States and Britain. At the head of University City is the American University of Sharjah and, lining either side of the central avenue, is the University of Sharjah, the Higher Colleges of Technology, Sharjah Police Academy, Sharjah Institute of Technology, the College of Fine Arts and the Medical College. The buildings housing the American University of Sharjah and University of Sharjah are particularly impressive and feature classic Islamic architecture, which forms a portrait of the city of Sharjah. Khaled Lagoon is Sharjahs centrepiece and a stroll along its corniche at sunset will offer a glimpse into our culture and traditions. The lagoon, along with its neighbour, Al Khan Creek, features signicantly in this book for the simple fact that these two waterways, now linked by the Qasba Canal at the centre of a major heritage-themed development project, featured signicantly in our past. Qanat al-Qasba is the place where families from all nationalities experience Arab traditions and understand the cultural heritage, which is rich in creativity and craftsmanship. Qanat al-Qasba houses a number of restaurants, coffee shops and waterfront terraces, an international circus, a theatre and a cinema, as well as 'The Eye of the Emirates', an air-conditioned observation wheel offering unrivalled views of Sharjah and beyond to Dubai. Shops

offer a variety of items in a beautiful, souk-like atmosphere. In winter, the talented craftsmen and artisans practice their arts and crafts while selling their goods. The emirate enjoys a unique advantage over its peers, in that it has seaports on both the west and east coasts of the UAE. We capitalised on this logistical advantage by creating the Sharjah Link connecting the deep-water container port at Khor Fakkan on the East Coast, Hamriyah and Khaled ports on the West Coast and Sharjah International Airport, by a modern highway. Although petroleum and gas still remain Sharjahs primary economic resources, tourism, guided by Islamic principles, is now playing an ever-increasing role in our long-term future and we have embarked on several projects to further encourage this growth, with the construction of an additional three world-class shopping malls, in addition to the existing malls and nine souks. The souks are little gems that reveal their splendour to anyone passing by. Of course, this is not the whole picture. Sharjah relies on many other important and diverse commercial enterprises to generate revenue, playing host to several companies from the chemical, metal, toiletry and food and beverage industries, in addition to the construction industry and, perhaps surprisingly, agriculture, which has developed rapidly with heavy investment in salt-tolerant ora and water for irrigation in the emirates desert areas. Yet, what makes the success of Sharjah all the more remarkable is the fact that the dictates and pressures of the rapidly evolving 21st century have not affected or compromised our rich heritage, values and traditions.

Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah

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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A satellite view of Sharjah and its suburbs, which shows in vivid detail the city grid and complex network of roads. From right to left, Sharjah's Khaled Lagoon and Al Khan Creek; and Dubai's Al Mamzar lagoons. (Courtesy MAPSgeosystems)

MAPSgeosystems

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Above: Camels the ships of the desert were not only beasts of burden to the Bedu who inhabited the Gulf desert, they also provided an abundant source of milk, meat, wool, leather for water containers and dung for fuel. Right: The Bedu successfully eked out a subsistence living in this most unforgiving of environments for eons, with many tribes adopting a nomadic existence to exploit what grazing existed for their camels and goats. They were able to turn their hands to almost anything to ensure their survival, from creating camel-hair tents and blankets, to jewellery, pottery, make-up and the production of water containers from leather. Strength was forged from this adversity and a level of hospitality afforded travellers seldom witnessed elsewhere. This welcome remains very much in evidence in contemporary Arabs today, such as in these villagers at Hala, near Dibba.

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