PEARLING PATH (ROUTE DE LA PERLE)

The history of Muharraq is strongly linked to the pearl industry. The ancient capital owes it everything, its past splendor, its decline, and its revival. In 1930, before competition from Japanese pearls ruined this flourishing economy, 20,000 to 30,000 people lived directly or indirectly from this trade: fishermen, captains, dhow builders, traders and merchants. Since the discovery of oil, pearl fishing has become a tradition, passed down from father to son. Unesco has decided to register this pearl fishing activity, a testimony of an island economy, as a World Heritage Site. The Pearl Route includes 17 buildings embedded in the urban fabric that go hand in hand with the restorations carried out by the Shaikh Ebrahim Cultural Center. From the shore of Bu Mahir to the heart of the old city, the route stretches for 3.5 kilometers.

Fortress of Qal'at Bu Mahir

Southern tip of Muharraq. ✆ +973 1729 8777. Open daily from 9am to 5pm.

Navigators on the India Route report the presence of a fort at the southern tip of Muharraq as early as 1635. Originally composed of 4 towers, one at each corner, Bu Mahir was coupled with the fort of Arad to ensure the defense of the coast. The end of the pearl fishing season was a dangerous time for the Bahrainis. It was common for pirates to conduct raids to seize the pearls. The Bu Mahir fort was also meant to protect Muharraq's main source of fresh water, which gushed out into the open sea, a short distance from the beach. In 1868, the British fleet destroyed most of the fort in order to dissuade the independentists from their plans. Only the south tower remained standing, becoming an important symbol of the city. It was on this beach that the inhabitants celebrated the beginning and end of the fishing season. Today it is the starting point of the Pearl Route. In addition to the military remains, the fort houses a Visitors' Center that provides all the necessary information for the tour.

Al-Ghus House

972 Road 1615, Block 216. Open from 9am to 6pm. Was closed for maintenance at the time of our visit.

Originally, the Al Ghus (fishermen's) house was located on the coast. It consisted of three rooms, an inner courtyard and a liwan (a traditional hall with a roof supported by pillars), it must have been the home of a nukhidhah, a captain. It is representative of the middle class of the time, with enough rooms to house the whole family, store goods, and receive guests.

Badr Ghulumet Turabi Houses

1262 Road 1622, Block 216. Open every day from 8am to 7pm.

This is the property of barber Badr Ghulum, who settled in Muharraq in 1912. While the facilities providing basic health care were all in Manama, Badr Ghulum gradually became the doctor for the people of Muharraq. Everyone went to him for treatment, rich and poor alike. The fishermen were his first clients. Damaged lungs, eye and skin diseases were the most common afflictions. The Ghulum family still owns this house and is gradually renovating it. The consultation room has been redone in respect of the original materials, mainly coral limestone. The liwan, the three rooms of the west wing, and the medical wing are of the period.

Al Jalahma House

1321 Road 1624, Block 216. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

The Al Jalahma family occupied all the professions of the pearl chain. The sons dived, the father commanded the dhow, the uncle built it. When the season was over, the cousins unloaded the goods. The grandfather, a tajir (trader), was in charge of selling it to intermediaries who traded with foreign buyers. The Al Jalahma family had many members, with a majority of women. The architecture of the house was therefore so that the wives and daughters could hide from the eyes of strangers. A tangle of corridors, balconies and staircases allowed them to carry out daily activities without coming across guests. Here, the hafiz (reception hall) is in the center of the building and not outside.

Al Alawi House

414 Abdul Rahman Al Fadal Avenue, Block 214. Open every day from 9am to 7pm.

When Mahmoud Muhammed al-Alawi built this house in the early 1930s, he was already an established merchant. He did not live from the pearl, but from its economic benefits. As an importer, he sold tobacco, ropes, anchors and canvas for sails to dhow crews; gypsum powder, fish oil and wood to shipwrights; leather gloves, nose clips and baskets to divers. He had also developed a coaster system to supply the dhows with fresh water during the pearl season. This two-story house is the last representative of a common style in the 1930s with two floors overlooking an inner courtyard, topped by a bagdir (wind tower).

Fakhro House

252 Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmid Avenue, Block 215. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

This house belonged to one of the greatest pearl merchants in the kingdom, Yousif Abdurrahman Fakhro. He had first made his fortune in the wood trade, essential for the shipbuilding industry that was to supply the bulk of the Bahraini fleet. Yousif Abdurrahman was one of the first inhabitants to build artificial landfills to gain ground on the sea. From his window, he could watch the 50 merchant ships of his fleet come and go. His headquarters were over 3,000 square meters and he also had a warehouse a few blocks away.

Murad and Majlis Houses

62-64 Lane 1308, Block 213. Open daily from 9am to 7pm. The houses were closed for renovation at the time of our visit.

As was the tradition, the main residence of the wealthy Murad family was separate from the majlis, the reception hall where outsiders came to visit the tawawish, the patriarch and owner of the business. Built at the end of the 19th century on land given to the family by Emir Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, it is hard to imagine today that the sea was less than 50 meters from the house. With its coral limestone walls, large inner courtyard and main room topped by a floor from which one could access the roofs, the Murad family house is one of the most beautiful tawish houses in Bahrain. The majlis, located on the other side of the park, is more restrained than some of the receptions of other great merchants, but its elegance proves the status of the Murad family. His descendants still entertain in this majlis.

Siyadi Shops

Tujjar Avenue, Souq Alqaysereyah, Block 215. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

Built in the 1860s, they are a testimony to the activities that benefited from the economic benefits of the pearl industry. A great pearl merchant did not put all his eggs in one basket. He usually maintained several general food stores and traded dates, tobacco, rice, sugar, tea and coffee.

Warehouses of Ali Rashed Fakhro

Tujjar Avenue, Souq Alqaysereyah, Block 215. Open every day from 9am to 7pm. The warehouses were closed for renovation at the time of our visit.

They are located west of the Siyadi stores, across the street. The first one dates from the 1890s. With two massive doors on each side of the building, the goods just offloaded from the port were on display in the souk. The amarat (storage place) still houses the city's oldest coffee shop, Qahwat Bu Khalaf, an important venue for the merchant community. The second shed, called Amarat Ali Rashid, is the best preserved. Souq merchants still use it for their stock.

Souq Al Qaysariyyah

Between Tujjar Avenue and Boomaher Avenue, Block 215. Open daily from 8am to 11pm.

Al-Qaysariyah market is the traditional heart of Muharraq's souk. Founded in the early 19th century, it benefited from the influx of wealth from the pearl trade. It gradually expanded to become one of the busiest markets in the Middle East. At its peak, more than 300 merchants had established their stores there. But with the competition of Japanese pearls, the souk gradually lost its glory. In the 2000s, the Ministry of Culture undertook a real rehabilitation effort. The small alleys of the market are once again crowded with goods and onlookers who came to shop. The smell of the still warm halwa will follow you throughout your visit.

Al Nukhidhah House

From Abdullah Avenue, take road 931, then third right, at the end of the alley. Open from 8am to 2pm and from 4pm to 7pm. Closed on Friday.

Built in the 1920s, this former property of Jassim Ajaj, a nukhidhah, is a reminder of the importance of these sailors who spent their lives in search of pearls. They were the ones who knew the best oyster spots, the best divers and the tawawish of the city. Renovated by a German architect, the design blends traditional architecture with radically contemporary lines. With bay windows, natural light wells, steel fixtures and museum-like lighting, this home traces the lives of its former inhabitants, complete with manuscripts and archival photos.

Siyadi Architectural Complex

203 Lane 920, Block 209. ✆ +973 3323 3521. Open daily from 9am to 7pm.

This architectural complex was owned by the Siyadi family, who were among the most powerful in Muharraq. They settled in Bahrain in the early 19th century. Three distinct constructions make up the final part of the Pearl Road.

The mosque. This is the oldest mosque in Muharraq, dated 1865. On one floor with a conical minaret, the Siyadi still use it for one or the other of their daily prayers and for the festivals.

The majlis. Here is the most beautiful reception hall of the route. The construction of the first floor began in 1850, under the direction of Ahmad bin Jassim Siyadi. The second floor was built in 1921. This majlis testifies to the omnipotence of the great pearl merchants, the only ones entitled to negotiate with foreign buyers. The stained glass windows, mosaics and friezes constitute one of the most beautiful architectural ensembles of the end of the 19th century in the kingdom.

The residence. Inhabited since 1931, the Siyadi House is the largest building in the complex. The family still lives within its walls, therefore the visit is forbidden to the public.