Zoo, terminal and palace part of Dubai heritage plan second phase

Terminal 1 of Dubai Airport is part of the second phase of a project to maintain the city’s heritage, announced by Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.

The scheme will focus on the preservation of 35 areas, sites and buildings dating from the 1960s to the 1990s.

These include Jumeirah Zoo, Clock Tower, Rashid Tower, the Dubai Petroleum building, Dubai Municipality’s main building, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Palace (Za’abeel), the Dubai Land Department building and the Dubai Courts building, as well as the airport terminal.

“We have a responsibility to celebrate our history and protect our architectural treasures for future generations,” said Sheikh Hamdan.

“The heritage areas covered by the project hold the memory of decades of progress and symbolise the dawn of Dubai’s renaissance.

“Located in the heart of modern Dubai, these sites bridge the past with the city’s future aspirations.”

Sheikh Hamdan said the project aims to foster cultural continuity, “highlighting the enduring relationship between the people and their environment”.

It also shows off Dubai’s historical interactions with the rest of the world as well as the influences that have shaped the emirate and its global impact.

The first phase of the project covered 17 archaeological sites, 14 historical areas and 741 buildings.

The second phase aims to restore an additional 35 heritage sites and buildings, taking the total number to 807.

“The sites and buildings included in the second phase of the project represent a significant era in Dubai’s history,” said Dawoud Al Hajri, director general of Dubai Municipality.

“The preservation efforts not only honour the historical significance of these sites but also aim to share this rich heritage with future generations.”

The latest sites included in the project reflect Dubai’s more recent architectural history and tell the story of the historical, cultural, social and economic transformation that it has experienced, Mr Al Hajri added.

In the first phase, the municipality focused on preserving buildings from the emirate’s earlier historical periods, said Dubai Government Media Office.

This phase was launched with an aim to “document and protect” these structures, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

Buildings, sites and areas covered by the initial phase included Al Shindagha Heritage District, the Naif area and Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.