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Prince Charles' 'love letter' that saved Al Bastakiya

Dubai - The area remains one of the most visited areas by tourists.

When Prince Charles first visited the UAE in the early 1980s, many people were unaware of just how rich in history the country was. And as he touches down in the UAE once again today, many say he is partly responsible for preserving one of the country's most prized heritage sites, Al Bastakiya .
Nestled along the shores of the Dubai Creek, this district is dotted with traditional Emirati homes.
An area adorned with the fascinating architecture of the Barjeel (wind tower), it is a prominent trademark of the Arabian Gulf.
Noted as one of the most charming districts in the UAE, there was once a time when this area may not have come to be.
But, prominent Emirati writer, Abdul Ghaffar Hussain, tells Khaleej Times it was a visit from Prince Charles that helped change its fate.

The visit
Winding his way through the narrow lanes of Al Bastakiya during that first visit, Prince Charles was taken aback by the simplicity of the area.
Not only awed by its understated beauty, it was the stories that lay beneath which fascinated Charles - stories which dated back to the 1800s when evolution in the region began.
At a time when construction was evolving in the country, old was making way for the new and plans were in full motion to demolish what was left of the historical site.
Centuries-old structures were being destroyed to make way for contemporary buildings, which had no story to tell.
While weaving his way in and out of Caterpillar diggers, mounds of rubble that had once stood proud sat before Prince Charles. And it was an image that did not sit well with him.
Touring the site with a Dubai-based British diplomat, it was conveyed to Prince Charles that the area should be preserved as a hub of culture and history.
Although the country's first skyscraper - The Dubai World Trade Centre - stood isolated in the desert since 1978, the wheels were firmly set in motion to see the construction of what is one of today's most fascinating skylines.
So it was a time when perpetuating the country's history was just as important as paving out its future.
Unsettled by the visit, Prince Charles returned to Britain, and went about penning a letter to the country's leader.
In it he urged them to rethink the demolition of the then-dilapidated structures, describing its potential as a hub for conservation. With a known respect for Islamic culture and architecture, the letter is said to have influenced the turning point of the project, as it was soon drawn to a halt.
Not long after, the area became a conservation site, and to this day remains one of the most visited areas by tourists.
The late Shaikh Zayed once said: "A nation without a past is a nation without a present or a future", and although Prince Charles was not part of the UAE's past, he has played an integral part in keeping it alive.
- kelly@khaleejtimes.com