Introduction
Although just next door to Dubai, the emirate and city of Sharjah seems a world removed. Crowded, conservative, and lacking in Dubai's fashion-conscious modernity, Sharjah offers a journey into the traditional Emirati way of life. If Abu Dhabi is the UAE's political center and Dubai the commercial hub, then Sharjah is the federation's cultural and historic heart.
Settlement in Sharjah dates back 6,000 years, and it was the key port on the lower Arabian Gulf into the first half of the 19th century. Not so long ago, Sharjah was among the richest cities in the Gulf, a fishing, pearling, and trading hub that eclipsed Dubai in prestige and wealth. But while Dubai's leaders in recent decades have embraced globalization with a kind of frenetic engagement, Sharjah's rulers have opted to focus on preserving the emirate's heritage and conservative values. The result is a traditional Arabian lifestyle that contrasts sharply with Dubai's more modern, Western approach.
In 1998, UNESCO...
more local info
-
-
Sharjah Art Museum
The centerpiece of the Arts Area, this is the largest art museum in the Arabian Gulf. It houses the personal collection of more than 300 paintings...
-
- Museums
-
-
-
Sharjah Natural History Museum
Looking beyond the man-made skyscrapers and other constructions that have popped up with increasing speed in recent years, you may not have thought...
-
- Museums
-
-
-
Sharjah Islamic Museum
Providing an outstanding opportunity to learn about the cultural history of Islam over the past 1,400 years, the Sharjah Islamic Museum houses...
-
- Museums
-
