Sheikh Dhiyab Bin Isa, who died in 1793, was the Sheikh of the Bani Yas tribe from the inland Liwa Oasis. The tribe regularly made trips to the sea to fish, and when they discovered fresh water on Abu Dhabi Island, Sheikh Dhiyab realised the importance of protecting it. He ordered that a watchtower be built to ward off intruders. Slowly, a settlement began to develop around the coral stone watchtower and Abu Dhabi was born.
It was during the reign of Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Dhiyab, who ruled from 1795-1816, and his immediate successors that the fortress we know today took shape. Two more towers were built and linked with a wall to create an imposing defensive enclosure that commanded the nearby shipping routes. It was during this time that Sheikh Shakhbut moved the seat of power from Liwa to Abu Dhabi Island, using the fort as his seat of government, his military headquarters and his home. According to oral history accounts, Sheikh Said Bin Tahnun (1845-55) carried out new additional enlargements and improvements inside the fort in 1850.
Interesting fact:
Since its inception, Qasr al Hosn was named “Hosn Abu Dhabi” which literally translates “Abu Dhabi fort”, and over the years, it has functioned as a fort, palace and administrative headquarters. Only those who controlled the fort could assert their right to rule.
The long reign of Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa, also known as Zayed the Great (1855-1909), was a period of peace and stability for Abu Dhabi. It was during this period that the community - with Qasr al Hosn at its heart - went through great expansion and development.
The 1930s were difficult years for Abu Dhabi due to the decline in the pearl trade and the impact of the global depression. But, in 1939, Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1928-1966) negotiated oil exploration concessions with the British and received 300,000 rupees as the first payment. Using these funds, he built an iconic palace that enclosed the initial fort.
The Father of the Nation, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1966-2004), transformed Qasr al Hosn into the palace we know today. Under his reign, several buildings within the fort were renovated. After Sheikh Zayed became the Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, one of the villas served as his office, while the other one housed the newly-established Center for Documentation and Research in 1968, now known as the National Center for Documentation and Research (NCDR), which, after completion of the final restoration during the 1970s-1980s, occupied all parts and wings of the fort. Qasr al Hosn was no longer used as the royal residence but instead housed a museum and repository of collections relating to Abu Dhabi and the Gulf.
Interesting fact:
Sheikh Zayed ordered the construction of the National Consultative Chamber just outside the palace walls. It was in this building that meetings took place to negotiate the union of the UAE in 1971.
In the last decade, it was discovered that the white render on Qasr al Hosn’s walls was causing corrosive moisture to be trapped on the surface of the original coral stone bricks. Now, a huge project is underway to once again reveal the original bricks and let the structure breathe. You will get a chance to see this important work up close when the doors to the fort are opened to the community during the annual Qasr al Hosn Festival – a ten day celebration of Emirati culture and tradition.
Interesting fact:
The conservation team is restoring Qasr al Hosn’s traditional ‘Barjeel’ ventilation system, which is an ancient form of air conditioning. The breeze is directed by a series of recessed arches built into the walls through small passageways into interior rooms.
Step back in time and allow our timeline (above) to walk you through 250 years of Qasr al Hosn’s history.
