Qasr-Al-Jahili Fort at Al Ain

JAHILI FORT is one of the oldest historical landmarks in the city of Al-Ain. It was built by Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa (Zyed I), ruler of Abu Dhabi between 1855 – 1909, close to an existing settlement around the Jahili Oasis.

The fort is constructed using natural materials available in the region viz. soil, palm trunks, and palm leaves. From time to time the function of the fort has changed and the most recent change (2008) was in the peripheral structure of the fort, which was converted into a permanent museum, dedicated to the life of a traveler named Wilfred Thesiger, a temporary museum and an information center, designed by ZRS, Germany.

The artisans actively participated in the production of adobe, its masonry work, the application of mud plaster, and the application of claytec plaster on the interior walls. Furthermore, they skillfully crafted a mud floor using the rammed earth technique, which was then meticulously polished with wax.