HEART OF SHARJAH (HISTORIC DISTRICT)

Unique in the sub-region, the architectural ensemble of this "Heritage" district seems at first a little crushed by the unsightly modern buildings that constitute its backdrop. Once there, the travelling imagination allows to contextualize the whole and to relativize the horrible spectacle of the nearby scrambled urbanity. With a mental zoom, focusing on the buildings in the foreground, we walk through the squares and alleys which, after careful renovation, present the face that Sharjah's pearl trading post must have had during and after the pirate epic. In the foreground as you turn your back on the Creek, Majlis Al-Midfaa, topped by a rare circular wind tower, was the home of one of the sheikh's advisors, Ibrahim Mohammed al-Midfaa, who in 1927 foundedOman, the first newspaper on the coast. On the left, the Al-Eslah school and its vintage 1935 classroom, one of the first in the sub-region. Then we come to the small souk Al-Arsah, air-conditioned, refurbished like a new penny, full of trinkets and souvenirs. At the back, Bait al-Naboodah, the residence of the Al-Shamsi pearl farmers built in 1845, reveals the living environment of the rich merchants, and this is perhaps one of the most striking stages. Then, a few steps away, we enter the Calligraphy Museum, presented as the only institution specializing solely in this art in the world. On the way out, turn left (west for those who walk by compass!) and finish the visit with the century-old Bait Khalid bin Ibrahim, which another king of the pearl had built - as a tribute to his roots - in the purest Bahraini style, and the Heritage Museum, with its important collections of fabrics, handicrafts and everyday objects. Those who still have some energy left can go to Hisn Street and take a look at the fort, the former residence of the sheikhs, rebuilt in the 1990s, thirty years after it was destroyed for being "useless"! Built by Sultan Ibn Saqr in 1820, the year of peace with the British, it has seen generations of rulers come and go. We discover various heritage objects, the history of the pearl and the sheikh's room. We highly recommend the tours organized by the Emirati guides. They will take you through the history of the area and in some cases demonstrate the coffee ceremony and have you wear the traditional dress. An opportunity to ask all your questions.