Al Husn Palace, also known as the White Fort, is one of the main attractions of Abu Dhabi, visited by thousands of tourists every year. It is this oldest structure, the first mention of which dates back to 1703, that began the formation of the city.
The small fort with white walls was built by the natives of the Libyan tribe of Beni Yas on the site of a freshwater spring. It was these walls that were supposed to protect the well dug inside from the enemy. Over time, a real large fortress with high walls was built around the well. In addition to defence functions, the fortress became the residence of the future rulers of Abu Dhabi. The city began to develop and many new buildings appeared around the old fortress.
During the 19-20th centuries the source of income for the inhabitants of the fortress Al-Husn were different spheres of activity, ranging from maritime trade and ending with the extraction and sale of oil, which led to the emergence of a large city in this place.
Al-Husn Palace was the residence of the sheikh until 1966. From 1976 to 1983, a complete reconstruction of the palace was carried out. Now this representative of historical heritage is a part of the museum complex and since 2007 is fully open to the public. Previously, only a walk under the fortress walls and a visit to the observation tower were allowed.
On the territory of the palace a Documentation and Research Centre was opened, where a large archive of ancient documents and objects is collected. The exhibits placed in the museum complex recreate a real picture of the life of the population of this region. The book collection of the famous Al-Husn Library contains more than two million books.
Al-Husn Palace can not only surprise visitors with its amazing architecture, but also introduce many interesting facts from the historical past of Abu Dhabi.
