Mezyad, Al-Ain#Fort
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Other uses|Mazyad (disambiguation){{!}}Mazyad|Meziad (disambiguation){{!}}Meziad}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mezyad
| native_name = {{lang|ar|مَزْيَد}}
| settlement_type = Town
| translit_lang1_type = Arabic
| translit_lang1_info = مَزْيَد
| image_skyline = Beehive Tombs Jebel Hafeet District 2.jpg
| image_caption = Prehistoric 'beehive' tomb near Jebel Hafeet, from the Hafit period of the Early Bronze Age in Mezyad Desert Park, near the settlement of Mezyad
| image_flag =
| image_coat =
| pushpin_map = UAE#Persian Gulf#Middle East#West Asia
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Mezyad in the U.A.E.
| government_type = Absolute monarchy
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United Arab Emirates
| subdivision_type1 = Emirate
| subdivision_name1 = Abu Dhabi
| subdivision_type2 = Municipal region
| subdivision_name2 = Al-Ain
| parts_type =
| parts =
| leader_title = Sheikh
| leader_name = Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
| leader_title1 = Ruler's Representative of the Eastern Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
| leader_name1 = Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan
| area_magnitude =
| area_metro_km2 =
| area_total_km2 = 15,100
| population_as_of = 2017
| population_total = 766,936
| population_density_km2 = auto
| utc_offset = +4
| timezone = UAE Standard Time
| coordinates = {{coord|24|1|16|N|55|50|0|E|region:AE|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m =
| footnotes =
}}
Mezyad ({{langx|ar|مَزْيَد|Mazyad}}){{cite book |publisher=Rough Guides UK |title=The Rough Guide to Dubai |isbn=978-0-2412-9864-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IYYnDQAAQBAJ&q=Mazyad |date=1 November 2016}}{{cite book |publisher=Penguin, Rough Guides UK |title=The Rough Guide to Dubai |isbn=978-0-2412-9865-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3awnDQAAQBAJ&q=Mazyad |date=15 November 2016}} is a settlement in the Eastern Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, to the south of the main part of Al Ain City, on the border of the U.A.E. and Oman.{{citation |work=Department of Transport, Government of Abu Dhabi |title=Eastern Region Bus Services |url=https://dot.abudhabi.ae/en/info/eastern_region_bus_services |access-date=4 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524112351/http://dot.abudhabi.ae/en/info/Eastern_Region_Bus_Services |archive-date=24 May 2018 |url-status=dead }} It is known for having a historical fort,{{Cite news |last=Salama |first=Samir |title=Al Ain bears evidence of a culture's ability to adapt |work=Gulf News |url=https://gulfnews.com/news/uae/culture/al-ain-bears-evidence-of-a-culture-s-ability-to-adapt-1.958876 |date=30 December 2011 |access-date=7 August 2018}}{{Cite news |last=Kazmi |first=Aftab |title=Mezyad Fort stands tall in the foothills of Jebel Hafeet |work=Gulf News |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/mezyad-fort-stands-tall-in-the-foothills-of-jebel-hafeet-1.1187525 |date=23 May 2013 |access-date=4 March 2019}} and is part of a desert park, which also includes a necropolis and Mount Hafeet nearby. The park can be called either "Mezyad Desert Park"{{cite web |publisher=Gustafson Porter + Bowman |title=Mezyad Desert Park |url=http://www.gp-b.com/mezyad-desert-park |date=2007–2012 |access-date=6 May 2019}}{{citation |work=Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi |title=Annual Report 2017 |volume=1: Culture |page=119 |url=https://tcaabudhabi.ae/DataFolder/reports/2017%20Annual%20report%20-%20EN.pdf |year=2017 |access-date=9 March 2019}} or "Jebel Hafeet Desert Park".{{citation |work=Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi |title=Annual Report 2018 – Culture |volume=1 |page=117 |url=https://tcaabudhabi.ae/datafolder/files/2018-annual-reports/Culture_English-compressed.pdf |year=2018 |access-date=6 May 2019}}
History
{{See also|History of the United Arab Emirates|List of cultural property of national significance in the United Arab Emirates}}
As a region, Al-Ain has been inhabited for over 7 millennia, as demonstrated by archeological finds. In particular, there are tombs shaped as beehives in the area of Mezyad, at the base of Jebel Hafeet, which date back to the Hafit period of the Early Bronze Age, besides{{Cite book |last1=Potts |first1=Daniel T. |last2=Nābūdah |first2=Ḥasan Muḥammad |last3=Hellyer |first3=Peter |title=Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates |url=https://archive.org/details/archaeologyunite00pott |url-access=limited |publisher=Trident Press |pages=[https://archive.org/details/archaeologyunite00pott/page/n173 174]–177 |location=London |oclc=54405078 |isbn=1-9007-2488-X |year=2003}} In the 1950s, Sheikh Zayed, who would become the founding President of the United Arab Emirates, discovered the tombs, and brought this to the attention of a Danish team, leading to an excavation at the tombs in 1959. In 1971, Al Ain Museum was built to house items from this area. In the 2000s, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage lobbied for its recognition as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and in 2011, Al-Ain became the first World Heritage Site in the UAE to be recognized by UNESCO.{{cite news |last=Ghazal |first=Rym |title=Al Ain's World Heritage tombs can now rest in peace |publisher=The National |url=https://www.thenational.ae/uae/heritage/al-ain-s-world-heritage-tombs-can-now-rest-in-peace-1.574354 |date=3 July 2011 |access-date=6 May 2019}}
= Fort =
{{See also|List of cultural property of national significance in the United Arab Emirates|List of tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates|Qasr Al Muwaiji}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = Mezyad Fort
| native_name = Qalʿat Mazyad ({{lang|ar|قَلْعَة مَزْيَد}})
| part_of =
| location = Al Ain Region
| coordinates = {{coord|24|1|16|N|55|50|0|E|region:AE}}
| map_type = UAE#Persian Gulf#West Asia
| map_alt =
| map_size = 265
| map_caption = Location in the U.A.E.
| map_relief = 1
| image = Mezyad Fort.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = The fort with Jebel Hafeet in the background
| type =
| built = Possibly in the 19th century
| builder =
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| height =
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| demolished =
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}}
{{ill|قلعة مزيد|lt=Mezyad Fort|ar}} ({{langx|ar|قَلْعَة مَزْيَد|Qalʿat Mazyad}}) is a historical fort located to the east of Jebel Hafeet, and near the Hafit tombs of the Early Bronze Age, and the border crossing with Oman. Given that it is similar in appearance to the Jahili fort of the 19th century, it is thought to have been constructed at around the same time, during the reign of Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.
Transport
Mezyad lies on a route from the main part of Al-Ain to Oman, leading to Dhank, Ibri and Nizwa, and going through the Western Hajar Mountains. Named "Zayed Bin Sultan Street", it goes past Al-Ain's traditional camel market, near Bawadi Mall and an IKEA store.{{cite news |last=Neild |first=Barry |title=Day trip from Abu Dhabi: The cool oasis of Al Ain |publisher=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/al-ain-abu-dhabi-day-trip/index.html |date=3 October 2018 |access-date=10 March 2019}}
See also
References
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