Qasr Al Hosn Historic Fort & Watchtower

Standing in historic contrast amid the modern glass skyscrapers of central Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Hosn is the symbolic ancestral birthplace of the emirate. Its story began around 1761, when a single cylindrical watchtower of coral stone and sea shells was erected by the Bani Yas tribe to defend a rare freshwater spring discovered on the island. In the 1790s, the watchtower was expanded into an impenetrable fort (the Inner Fort) under Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab Al Nahyan, serving as the official seat of the ruling Al Nahyan family, the administrative center of governance, and the sovereign council chamber. Later in the 1930s and 1940s, the Outer Palace was constructed, encasing the ancient citadel in elegant white walls and shaded arcades. Following a meticulous multi-year conservation project, Qasr Al Hosn reopened as a state-of-the-art heritage museum. Interactive galleries chronicle the history of the Bani Yas, the pearl diving trade, early oil exploration, and the visionary leadership that unified the Emirates.