Sharjah: the Gate to Trucial States

There are so few world heritage sites connected to Aviation. Ideally this nomination will eventually evolve into a transnational nomination with the UK, the UAE, Singapore, and other nations where these early 'air stations' remain preserved.

Croydon Airport (UK)

Mahatta Fort (UAE)

Kallang Airport (Singapore)

1935 Map of Imperial Airways Routes

After the UAE gets their 2nd WHS, perhaps as early as 2025 (Faya), Al Mahatta Airport might be the next dossier queued up for UNESCO. I believe ICOMOS in this case might be preferential to a narrowed UAE nomination focusing on the airport, while also being supportive of a transnational site.

For most visitors about 1 to 1.5 hours will be sufficient time at the Al Mahatta Aviation Museum. It's a short ride to Sharjah Fort (Al Hisn), which I simply took an exterior photo. Walking around the Souq Al Shanasiyah there is a small building that includes archeological remains of the Old Souk. We had lunch at the 'Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Cafe - Sharjah' and then walked further down the Souk before arriving at the Sharjah Art Museum. I felt the 'Heart of Sharjah" is a perfectly fine (albeit small) cultural district, but does not add significantly to the nomination. 

As the Emirate of Sharjah is particularly active in the last few years regarding cultural heritage, I expect we will be seeing more nominations in the coming years.

Sharjah: the Gate to Trucial States probably will be the next nomination from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A visit to Sharjah and the selected locations provides a great excuse to dive deeper into the history of the UAE. Between 1820 and 1971 they were known as the ‘Trucial States’ because of their treaties with Britain, which effectively made them a British protectorate. ‘United’ is an important word here: the main thoroughfare of the Dubai metro is called ‘Union’, and you may recognize ‘Etihad’ (Arabic for Union or United) from the Abu Dhabi airline.

Sharjah is the third ranked Emirate within the UAE, after Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Politically, it has much less influence than the other two which emirs always act as the union’s president and prime minister respectively. I went there by public bus E307A from Dubai’s Abu Hail metro station, an easy 25 minute ride. The cities of Dubai and Sharjah have actually grown together, many people live in the cheaper Sharjah and work in Dubai. The TWHS consists of numerous (too many?) locations, most of them in the capital Sharjah City but some lie much deeper inland until as far as the Oman Gulf coast (such as the Khorfakkan Fort, 140km away).

From the Sharjah bus station, I walked on the Corniche along the Sharjah creek to the historic center. This 'Heart of Sharjah’ is largely a reconstruction, and it is still being developed. It is intended to become a traditional style neighbourhood with museums, shops, …