Welcome to Manama, the capital and largest city of Bahrain, on the north-eastern coast of Bahrain Island in the Persian Gulf. For centuries Manama has been a trading port. First mentioned in the 14th century, it came under Portuguese control in the early 1500s, and after the Safavid Persians expelled the Portuguese in 1602 it grew into a centre of commerce and pearling. Much of today's coastline stands on reclaimed land, and oil wealth and later diversification turned the city into a financial hub. From ancient forts to wind-powered towers, let's explore.
Qal'at al-Bahrain
Photo: Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsWe begin 6 kilometres from Manama at Qal'at al-Bahrain, also known as the Bahrain Fort or the Portuguese Fort. It stands on an artificial mound 12 metres high, built up in seven layers by people who lived here from 2300 BC to the 18th century, among them Kassites, Greeks, Portuguese and Persians. That makes it the oldest fortification in the Persian Gulf region. This was once the capital of the Dilmun civilisation, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bahrain National Museum
Photo: Anthony DeCosta · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNext is the Bahrain National Museum, the largest public museum in the country and the oldest national museum in the Persian Gulf, standing beside the National Theatre. It opened in 1988 and is widely regarded as the region's first modern museum. Its roots are charming: in 1957, a few days' exhibition of archaeological finds at a boys' school, organised with the Danish expedition digging at the Bahrain Fort, sparked wide public interest in archaeology. Today it is Bahrain's most popular tourist attraction.
Al Fateh Grand Mosque
Photo: XIDME · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRising beside the Al Fateh Highway is the Al Fateh Grand Mosque, which can hold more than 7,000 worshippers. It was built in 1987 by Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and named in honour of Ahmed Al Fateh. Look up at the great dome: it weighs 54 tonnes and is made entirely of fibreglass, once the largest fibreglass dome in the world. Inside, the floor is Italian marble, the chandelier came from Austria, and the doors are Indian teak, all framed by Kufic calligraphy.
Bab Al Bahrain
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIn Customs Square stands Bab Al Bahrain, the Gateway of Bahrain, marking the main entrance to the Manama Souq. It opened in 1949, designed by Charles Belgrave, the British adviser to the emir. Here is the surprise: when it was built, the gateway stood on the shoreline. Land reclamation in the later 20th century pushed the sea back, so it now stands several kilometres inland. The square around it is considered the region's first formal public space. Pass beneath the great arch and step into the souq.
Beit Al Quran
Photo: Mohamsuraj · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIn Hoora is Beit Al Quran, the House of the Qur'an, a complex dedicated to Islamic arts that includes a mosque, a library, a madrasa and a museum. Its museum, opened in 1990, is one of the most renowned Islamic museums in the world. At its heart is the collection of Abdul Latif Jassim Kanoo, an avid collector of Qur'anic manuscripts and Islamic art, who felt a strong sense of responsibility for the rare manuscripts he had gathered and donated them to the museum he founded.
Bahrain World Trade Center
We end with a striking piece of modern Manama, the Bahrain World Trade Center. Its twin towers rise 240 metres over 50 floors and were completed in 2008. Look closely and you will spot wind turbines built into the structure, making this the first skyscraper in the world to integrate wind turbines into its design. The turbines were developed and installed by a Danish company, and the building has won several awards for sustainable design.
Lomakuume
