Al Jahili Fort in Al Ain

Set amid landscaped gardens in the heart of Al Ain, Al Jahili Fort is one of the largest and most magnificent fortifications in the United Arab Emirates. Erected in 1891 under the reign of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan (Zayed the First), the fort was strategically constructed to protect the lucrative date palm oases of Al Ain and consolidate royal authority across the eastern territories. Built entirely of sundried mudbricks, clay, palm wood, and gypsum plaster, the fort features thick sloping battlements, defensive parapets, and four corner watchtowers. Its most distinctive architectural icon is a separate, free-standing four-tiered circular watchtower that rises gracefully in concentric circular terraces. Today, Al Jahili Fort is a celebrated cultural center. In addition to heritage galleries, it houses a permanent exhibition honoring Sir Wilfred Thesiger (known locally as Mubarak bin London), displaying his historic black-and-white photography capturing Bedouin life and his historic crossings of the Rub' al Khali in the 1940s.