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Destinations of Bahrain
Bahrain, a group of 33 archeology islands, is rich in history
ancient civilizations and is situated in the Arabian Gulf, off the
east coast of Saudi Arabia. The country offers a fascinating
blend of Eastern and Western cultures. The capital Manama
is a quite modern cosmopolitan city, which boasts world class
restaurants, shopping centers, and tourist attractions. The
climate is hot in summer and mild in winter. From November
to April the weather is very pleasant, with temperatures ranging
from 15 to 24 degree centigrade. Arabic is the official language,
but English is widely used by most businesses.
Bait Al-Qur’an Located in the city of Manama, Bait Al-Qur’an
or House of Qur’an was inagurated in March 1990. It is a
typical specialized museum consisting of several floors and
characterized by most distinctive Islamic design. The Bait AlQur’an houses ancient manuscripts of the Holy Qur’an that
have been collected from the Islamic world in general and
from North Africa, Iran, India and China in particular. It also
displays rare Islamic artifacts, jwellery and gold-ornamented
glass utensils, including the great Islamic heritage arts that had
an influencethrough out the world. The building also includes a
lecture hall provided with sophisticated equipment, a library of
scientific, Islamic reference books, and Arabic calligraphy and
the exhibition translations of the Qur’an in to several languages. It
is definitely worth visiting as part of Bahrain’s tourist landmarks.
Grand Mosque Dedicated in 1988, Al Fateh Grand Mosque
is the largest edifice in Bahrain in terms of volume. With twin
freestanding minarets soaring at 70 meters, the mosque has
space for 7,000 worshippers.
Bahrain National Museum Situated at the junction of Al-Fateh
Highway and Sheikh Hamad Bridge leading to Muharraq, the
museum was officially opened in December 1988 to become
one of the latest and largest museums in the Middle East. The
Museum consists of several exhibition halls covering the history
of Bahrain from the Stone Age, through ancient civilizations and
up to the pre-oil period. A Heritage village has been developed
outside the museum and is used for annual national festivals.
Shopping Attractions
Bahrain City Centre is the first and biggest mixed-use
development in Bahrain offering the best shopping, leisure
and entertainment experience to its customers under one
roof. Strategically located on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al
Khalifa Highway in the heart of Manama, Bahrain City Centre
has introduced a world-class retail ambience and hundreds
of other ‘firsts’ to the Kingdom including 150 of its over 350
internationally reputed brands making their debut in the country.
The Centre’s stunning entertainment offer includes the region’s
first indoor/outdoor temperature controlled 15,000 square
metre Wahooo! Waterpark, Bahrain’s biggest cinema complex
Cineco 20, and a family entertainment centre for children and
young adults, Magic Planet. For food and beverage options,
over 50 food court outlets have been lined up to offer the most
popular as well as exotic choices from all over the world.
Bahrain Fort
The fort is at a distance of nearly 7 kilometrs from the city
of Manama and situated at Karbabad, the village wellknown
for its traditional basketry on the North Central coastline. It is
also known as Qal’at Burtughal, or the historical site that had
become the seat of successive civilizations, the last of which
was the Islamic era. The fort was built by Portuguese in 1522.
The Portuguese added the height walls, the huge square
tower and surrounding moat which is still visible to visitors. The
Bahrain Fort occupied a strategic military position and boasted
a navigation ammunition depot and a secret passageway.
Bahrain International Circuit
The Bahrain International Circuit is a venue used for drag racing,
GP2, and an annual Formula One Grand Prix. For the first time
in 2006, there was a V8 Supercar race, named the Desert 400,
and also a 24 Hour Race. The construction of the Bahrain
circuit was a national objective for Sakhir, Bahrain, initiated by
the Crown Prince, Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. The
Crown Prince is the Honorary President of the Bahrain Motor
Federation. Race organizers were worried that the circuit
would not be complete in time for the 2004 Grand Prix and
attempted to cancel the event, however Formula One supremo
Bernie Ecclestone refused this request. In the end, the circuit
was not quite fully complete, but was good enough for the
grand prix to go ahead.
For more information about Bahrain entry visa for one week, please contact
Bahrain Society of Engineers,
PO Box 835, Manama, Bahrain
Tel: +973 17810733,
Fax: +973 17827475,
Email: bseng@batelco.com.bh
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