Look: Late Sheikh's 124-year-old house now open to public, offers rare glimpse into historic era

The historic landmark opposite Kalba's Fort provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience and learn about the way of life in pre-oil times

Web Desk

Published: Fri 6 Oct 2023, 4:24 PM

Last updated: Wed 15 Nov 2023, 4:57 PM

Nestled in the eastern coast of the emirate of Sharjah, the Bait Sheikh Saeed bin Hamad Al Qasimi is a throwback in time.

Once the centre of governance and a residence of the late Sheikh Saeed bin Hamad Al Qasimi and his family, the house in Kalba, built in 1899, is now an iconic museum.

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And on Thursday, the historic landmark, which comes under the Sharjah Museums Authority, reopened its doors to the public.

One of the most beautiful heritage houses in the UAE, it first opened as a museum on December 5, 1999.

The Museum, opposite Kalba's Fort, provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience and learn about the way of life in pre-oil times and the region's history through a collection of preserved relics.

Overlooking the Gulf of Oman, the house which served as a secure residence for the Sheikh's extended family and as the seat of government, was built according to local design elements and cultural practices.

The eastern section of the house is designated for guards and male visitors and includes an outer Majlis, Al Muktasar (the Sheikh's Majlis), Al Murabba'a (square defensive tower) with a defensive wall containing Al Mazaghel (loopholes for shooting) and a guard's room at the southeastern section.

A wall in the courtyard serves to partition the private western zone, allocated for family living areas and service units, from the public-oriented eastern section.

The rooms are designed without windows but feature wind-catchers to ensure both privacy and protection. The living spaces comprise bedrooms, majalis (meeting/sitting rooms), a kitchen, storage areas, rooms for helpers, and two wells.

Unique items from a historic era that are on display in this heritage landmark include an Arabian sword, a traditional Sahili Khanjar (coastal dagger) with a leather scabbard cover beautifully decorated with silver and gold wires.

The historic building also contains a matchlock gun known locally as Um-Fateela adorned with sheet silver, a gift from Sheikh Haitham bin Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Chief of the Sharjah Ruler's Office in Kalba, in addition to three huge copper cooking pots, and round copper trays gifted from Shaikha Noura Saeed Hamad Majid Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi.

This tourist destination also includes traditional household items such as copper coffee pots, a large decorated ceramic jar with three handles used for the storage of molasses or the fermentation of fish; a Hawin (a mortar made from a large tree trunk) and Midag (a pestle usually made of wood used to pound grain in the mortar, a decorated wooden cradle suspended from the ceiling to protect the child from insects and other pests and a Mandoos, a wooden chest used to store personal items such as clothes, money, weapons and equipment, decorated with copper nails arranged in geometric patterns.

“We hope that the venue will attract tourists and public members alike, stimulating their curiosity to discover the abundant cultural and historical wealth of both the city of Kalba and the Emirate of Sharjah,” Aisha Rashid Deemas, the Director General of Sharjah Museums Authority, said.

“With its diverse exhibits, the house gifts visitors with precious glimpses into the lifestyle and practices of its bygone era, thereby preserving and honouring our collective heritage for future generations to appreciate.”