Dubai is a lot more than its tall skyscrapers and modern man-made wonders. It has a rich culture and heritage which dates back many decades. To understand that, old Dubai’s cultural heart welcomes you for a glimpse at its heritage.
Souks have always been a part of Dubai and its historical places. These are traditional marketplaces which were designed as narrow alleys right next to each other. They would be crowded with small shops of spices, textiles, silk, and arabian perfumes called oud. These old souks can be found near Dubai creek, the place where the first settlements came into being. Bastakiya, Bur Dubai, and Deira are the three districts which the Dubai creek is divided into. The Al Bastakiya quarter dates back to the nineteenth century and hosts various exhibitions like the Majlis.
The conventional tea houses give you a taste of what the culture of Dubai was like; from the whole environment to the traditional food they serve.
The Dubai heritage museum holds many answers to Dubai’s cultural heritage. It houses the whole way of living locals used to lead, with all the artifacts, relics, and antiques of old Dubai. Before oil was discovered, trade and pearl extraction was the main form of occupation in this part of the world.
Jumeirah mosque is one of the main spots to give you a feeling of the religious background and how it was and is a strong part of Dubai’s culture and arts.
The gold and spice souks have a variety of rare spices to fragrant oud perfumes and all kinds of gold ornaments you can think of.
The Heritage village is a village made of mud and stone small, traditional houses surrounded by palm trees. It shows you how the old Emirati community lived as well as different aspects of Bedouin’s lives. It takes you back to the 16th century, showing mosques and weapon rooms that existed almost 200 years ago.
Taking a trip to the desert, either to a desert camp or in desert safari, opens up your eyes to the traditional way of transportation Bedouins used to travel across the desert. Not only that, but also the way they lived, ate, wore clothes and how they communicated.
When it comes to art, Arabic calligraphy has been around for centuries and is an intricate and highly valued form of art today, making it an integral part of Dubai’s culture and arts. Sports like hunting, falconry, camel racing, and equestrian sports are major parts of the culture of Dubai and are still practiced today along with modern sports.
Dubai’s culture is full of historical landmarks and practices. Most of those ancient landmarks have been preserved while many places have been built with the same ancient look to get a feel of the old Dubai heritage in present times.
