Bastakiah of Dubai, Dubai
The old Bastakiya district features traditional courtyard type of houses which are still cooled by wind towers and takes visitors back in time to have a glimpse of ancient Dubai. This place should be seen during Dubai travel. Dubai during ancient times was famous for its wind towers that bordered both sides of the creek. The narrow bylanes having a distinct Arabian architecture is a superb historical attraction earmarked for visit by tourists traveling to Dubai.
The old Bastakiya district with its tall wind towers and narrow lanes gives a superb view of old Dubai. To the east of Al Fahidi Fort lies the biggest concentration of traditional courtyard houses with wind towers. These wind towers were not just pieces of decoration but cooled the houses days before the invention of electricity.
Bastakiya is also rightly called the market and cultural center of Dubai. In this district one can see numerous classic wind towers and traditional courtyard houses which offer a fantastic view of how Dubai must have looked in the past. The buildings surrounding the district house several galleries featuring local artists, markets, hotels and museums. All the historic buildings in this area would be renovated by the Dubai government so that it houses more museums, restaurants, traditional markets and galleries. This place has also been marked for tourist development, with the construction of an art gallery, a cultural center, a museum etc that displays local talent.
These houses are now within the Heritage Village. Some of these houses are presently functioning as museums which display the heritage and culture of Dubai.
Bastakiya is a district which not be missed by anyone traveling to Dubai especially if they are keen on learning about the ancient history of Dubai. In the Al Bastakiya area, a historic building dating back to 1918 is in the process of being renovated by the Dubai Municipality. The renovation work started in December 2001. It is planned to convert the building into a museum. This will house historic coins from the Islamic and the Arabic era. It is a long term plan of Dubai Municipality to bring back the rich architectural, cultural and heritage landmarks in Dubai to former glory. The building has 2 floors and one of the two entrances is facing north. There are 2 bedrooms having traditional windows in the first floor. There are separate bathrooms for the bedrooms, kitchen and two storerooms, one in each floor. The upper storey has a big room which has traditional windows, a bathroom and a hall.
The Bastakiya district is a part of Dubai tours and is complete with traditional courtyard houses, decorated by wind towers, and has been earmarked for tourist development and gives a superb insight about the ancient people and living of the people of Dubai.
If you are interested in unraveling the archeological past of Dubai then a visit to the Bastakiya District, Dubai will help you know all the details regarding the modes of living and historic landmarks of the Arabs in Dubai. Tourists traveling to Dubai find this district truly admirable. The Bastakiya district in Dubai is one place that has still retained its past grandeur amidst the cultural development of Dubai.
The old Bastakiya region covers an area of 300 m by 200 m and lies on the Bur side. As this place also has many Persians residing here, many of the museums and houses can be seen to reflect the Persian culture. You can see a combination of these two cultures in the Bastakiya district of Dubai.