MIDDLE EAST ABU DHABI
“The message is powerful: no matter where we are born, our humanity unites us”
Times might have changed in Abu Dhabi but
at Qasr Al Hosn, there’s a palpable respect and nostalgia for the past.
STATE OF THE ART My cultural journey continues at Louvre Abu Dhabi, the £1 billion museum designed by French architect Jean Nouvel that took 10 years to build. It is currently the main attraction on Saadiyat Island, which Abu Dhabi hopes will become a cultural hub with Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum planned to open in coming years. The Louvre is a hugely ambitious museum, with
a design as impressive as the immense selection of artworks. The exterior is a collection of white, rectangular buildings reminiscent of Arab houses and the steel-domed roof is itself a work of art – its honeycombed design providing shade from the sun while shafts of light shine through. Inside, the astounding collection of more than 600
artworks and artefacts from around the world tells a unique story spanning cultures and civilisations. The experience can be overwhelming at times, but the message is powerful: no matter where we are born or our religion, our humanity unites us. This message of inclusivity is echoed at the palatial Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, open to all faiths and cultures, and visited by more than 40,000 people annually. Created in 1985, this is a mosque of superlatives
– from painted flowers curving around the marble pillars to the gilded chandeliers dripping in Murano glass and Swarovski crystal. The world’s largest carpet, meticulously handmade by more than a thousand weavers, can also be found here.
ABOVE: The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
LEFT: Dune bashing in the desert
DESERT DAZZLER A journey into Rub’ Al Khali, or “the Empty Quarter”, reveals Abu Dhabi as it once was – stripped back of glitz and glamour. This is the world’s largest uninterrupted sand mass, and I’m enthralled as we drive through the beautiful nothingness in our 4x4. I spend the next hour or so whooping as we dune bash, then when my heartbeat has returned to normal, I’m transfixed by the desert’s serene beauty as the sun hangs low and golden hour sets in. We stop at Arabian Nights Village, where I ride a camel, try my hand at sand-boarding and watch
60 SECONDS WITH…
Ali Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing sector, Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi
What are the big new attractions opening in Abu Dhabi in 2020? The opening of Al Qana National Aquarium, Abu Dhabi’s first aquarium, featuring 33,000 marine creatures, all responsibly and ethically sourced from around the world. For shoppers, there’s the vast expansion of The Galleria Mall on Al Maryah island, along with Reem Mall, opening in 2020, offering 450 stores, 85 restaurants and the world’s largest indoor snow-play park – Snow Abu Dhabi. Louvre Abu Dhabi will host three exciting exhibitions throughout 2020, with a highlight expected to be the Charlie Chaplin: When Art Met Cinema show.
Which new 2020 attraction are you most excited about and why? I am very excited to see Clymb launch on Yas Island – a fantastic asset offering the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall at 43 metres high, plus the world’s widest skydive chamber. The building is architecturally stunning and will complement the existing theme parks.
How will you be marketing these new attractions to tourists around the world? We are working very closely with our international offices to heavily promote the city and its attractions internationally through multiple media channels raising awareness about Abu Dhabi.
an evening show of belly dancing and singing over a delicious meze meal. On the drive back to the city, we stop briefly in the middle of the desert to gaze at the sky. It glints with more stars than I’ve ever seen, including the creamy spread of the Milky Way. Here, away from the showy skyscrapers, Abu Dhabi feels wonderfully and inextricably connected to its past.
Visit the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi on stands ME200, ME201 and ME205
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