With more than 4,000 years of history and tradition to draw from, it’s no wonder Abu Dhabi is known as the cultural heart of the UAE. The city fuses the old with the new to create an intriguing mix of cultural attractions, with mosques, museums and forts galore.
Attractions
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Beautifully adorned with architectural styles from different Muslim civilizations, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the world’s largest Mosques with an astonishing capacity of 40,000. Visit at sunset for an atmospheric tour around the Mosque, where you can see the outstanding white and gold exterior transformed under the glow of the moonlight.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Like its namesake in Paris, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is an exciting art gallery and museum. A decade in the making and designed by Pritzker-prize winning architect Jean Nouvel, it is home to works by Leonard Da Vinci and Pablo Picasso. In addition to the permanent collections, there are also regular visiting exhibitions, live performances and workshops. The Louvre caters for everyone, art expert or not and you can take the kids along too as there’s a dedicated Children’s Museum just for them!
Qasr Al Watan
Qasr Al Watan is more than a palace; it’s the latest cultural landmark in Abu Dhabi which aims to boost understanding of the UAE. Visitors are invited to tour a series of zones which make up Qasr Al Watan, each highlighting a different aspect of the Palace’s various functions and features.
Qasr Al Hosn
Built in the 1790’s Qasr Al Hosn is the oldest and most significant building in Abu Dhabi. The structure overlooked the coastal trade routes and protected the growing settlements in Abu Dhabi. Over the years it evolved to house the ruling family, become the seat of government and a national archive. Now, after years of intense restoration Qasr Al Hosn is open to the public as a museum.
