| Qasr Al Hosn | |
|---|---|
 Qasr Al Hosn in May 2019 | |
| Location | Sheikh Zayed the First Street |
| Coordinates | 24°28′57″N54°21′17″E / 24.48239°N 54.35482°E /24.48239; 54.35482 |
| Built | 1931 outer Fort with 30 m high main watchtower around the 1761 inner fort |
  Location of Qasr Al Hosn in United Arab Emirates | |
TheQasr Al Hosn (Arabic:قصر الحصن,Qaṣr al-Ḥuṣn, "Fortified Palace") is a historical landmark and the oldest stone building in the city ofAbu Dhabi, the capital of theUnited Arab Emirates. Its construction was supervised by Mohammed Al Bastaki[1] in 1761.[2]
It is located along Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum St[3] and is a part of theAbu Dhabi Cultural Foundation.[4]
Qasr Al Hosn, also known as theWhite Fort (originally not white in colour but painted bright white during 1976–1983 renovations) orOld Fort,[5] was constructed in 1761 as a conicalwatchtower to defend the only freshwaterwell in Abu Dhabi island.[2] The tower was later expanded into a small fort in 1793 by the then ruler,Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan, and became the permanent residence of the rulingSheikh.[2] The tower took its present shape after a major extension in the late 1930s, aided by revenues received for granting the first oil license in Abu Dhabi.[6] It remained the emir's palace (hence the name Qasr Al Hosn, meaning Palace fort) and seat of government until 1966.[2] The fort had been refurbished several times and is now partially open to the public.[7][8]
The Qasr Al Hosn is currently the subject of extensive historical, archaeological, and architectural research.[4][9] The fort houses a museum displaying artifacts and pictures representing the history of the country.[5] It also has a range of weapons, used through the region's history, on display.[5]
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Qasr Al Hosn festival is an annual 11-day cultural event staged on the grounds of the fort.[10][11] The fort is open to the public during the festival, including some of the restricted areas[11] and features live music and dance performances showing the UAE's cultural heritage.[8]
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24°28′57″N54°21′17″E / 24.48239°N 54.35482°E /24.48239; 54.35482
