Taking Care Of Dubai's Heritage

A new legislation in UAE will prevent any acts of changes or demolition
of historic buildings inside the country. Learn more why any such law
was felt necessary.

Late president of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, once
famously said, "a country that does not keep a track of its past will
neither have any present nor future." He was cautioning against
overlooking Dubai's cultural heritage, as the city began experiencing an
all around growth. Conservation experts regard heritage sites as one of
the key areas for preserving one's cultural heritage. This aspect
becomes a lot more significant specially in the case of Dubai, since its
landscape has dramatically changed since the 1960s. Interestingly,
experts assume Dubai's historical period extending as recently as up to
1960, quite modern by the mark of other nations.

With tourism on Dubai government's top agenda, heritage sites are going
to play a crucial role in its further promotion. Tourists flock Dubai
with a desire of experiencing the magnificent blend of ethnic Arab and
modern day infrastructure they have been witnessing to and listening
about from various media outlets. They wish to have the firsthand
experience of its cultural diversity now that Dubai has been recognised
all over the world for very long. And there is no better a way to offer
them what they will be looking forward to by preserving some of Dubai's
past as it is. This will also fulfil to the wishes of Sheikh Zayed bin
Sultan, in keeping up Dubai's Arab roots alive.

This exercise is harder accomplishing than said though. Dubai's economic
turnaround has ensured, the city will keep experiencing multifaceted
growth. It will put immense pressure on the existing infrastructure, as
plans for the city's modernization keep unfolding on a regular basis. It
will specially endanger some precious blocks of architecture that were
built prior to 1960 and are still erected up there. Many of these
concrete blocks have a very distinct Arabian flavour, which is what
perhaps Sheikh Zayed wanted to speak about. The city of Dubai has
dramatically expanded since the 1960s, and most of its previous
existence has slowly diminished in the process.

Some observers say that the eye-catching blocks of Bastakia by Dubai
Creek have to be thankful to Prince Charles for remaining intact, as the
prince had objected to their planned demolition some years ago while
being on an official visit to the emirate. Bastakia carries some
precious signatures of the past with a plethora of traditional
wind-tower houses and shady courtyards. The rest could be called a
history in making now, as Bastakia gets renowned for its heritage value.
It does not only provide the tourists and filmmakers with an opportunity
for getting excited about, but also extends a great deal of information
to the historians as well.

The UAE's government is now planning to come up with a law, which once
passed will prevent any acts of changes or demolition of historic
buildings inside the country. Any buildings constructed prior to1960
will automatically fall under the "historic" segment. About 1,200
buildings are estimated to be declared protected under the new
legislation in the entire of UAE. Some people are demanding for the
limit of 1960 to be brought down to 1975, so that more traditional
houses could be saved in the due course. This seems to be a little too
optimistic demand from the administration however, to have any positive
opinion about.