Al Bastakiya quarter (old Dubai)

The official name of the historical neighborhood Al Bastakia is Al Fahidi and it is located between the Creek and the Al Fahidi Roundabout. The history of of this neighborhood dates back to approximately the end of the 19th century when traders from Bastak, Iran came here to work and live.

The houses have characteristic Persian-influenced wind towers, or windcatchers, which are called Baarjiil in Arabic. Because of a clever system these wind towers function as a natural air-conditioning.

In the 1970’s the neighborhood went into decline, because families left to new and modern homes in other parts of Dubai. As a result of this decline the neighborhood was partly destroyed in the 1980’s to make room for office buildings. In 1989 were plans to demolish the whole neighborhood, but the British architect Rayner Otter started a campaign to preserve the remaining part of the neighborhood and succeeded. In 2005 the Dubai municipality restored the buildings and houses very carefully and made the neighborhood a must-see.

The neighborhood has still its narrow, traffic-free and quiet labyrinthine lanes and about 50 nicely restored sand-coloured merchant houses. In these houses don’t live merchants anymore but are nowadays used as boutique hotels, cafés, craft shops, cultural exhibits and art galleries.

In the Al Bastakia quarter is also the Al Fahidi Fort, which is constructed in 1787 and houses the Dubai Museum.