Qasr Al Watan
{{short description|Presidential palace of the United Arab Emirates}}
{{WikidataCoord}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Qasr Al Watan
| native_name = {{lang|ar|قَصْر ٱلْوَطَن}}
| native_name_lang = ar
| partof =
| location = Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| image = File:Qasr Al Watan in March 2022 02.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Facade and courtyard of Qasr Al Watan
| type =
| built =
| builder =
| materials = Marble
| height = 60 m
| used =
| demolished =
| ownership =
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| commanders =
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| website = {{url|https://www.qasralwatan.ae}}
}}
Qaṣr Al-Waṭan ({{langx|ar|قَصْر ٱلْوَطَن|lit=Palace of the Nation}}){{cite news |work=WAM |title=Abu Dhabi: Palace of the Nation opens to public Monday |publisher=Gulf News |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/abu-dhabi-palace-of-the-nation-opens-to-public-monday-1.1552243296495 |date=2019-03-10 |access-date=2019-12-09}}{{cite news |last=Abdul Kader |first=Binsal |title=Inside Qasr Al Watan: Palace in Abu Dhabi opens doors to public |publisher=Gulf News |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/inside-qasr-al-watan-palace-in-abu-dhabi-opens-doors-to-public-1.1552288930287 |date=2019-03-11 |access-date=2019-04-21}} is the presidential palace{{cite book |title=Insight Guides Oman & the UAE (Travel Guide eBook) |date=2015-12-01 |work= |publisher=APA Publications (UK) Limited |isbn=9781780055480 |chapter=Abu Dhabi |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MAYBCwAAQBAJ&dq=uae+presidential+palace&pg=PT358}}{{cite book |last=Gueraiche |first=William |title=The UAE: A Political and Economic Geography |publisher=I.B. Tauris |chapter=5: Persian Janus |location=London, New York |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=704zDwAAQBAJ&dq=uae+presidential+palace&pg=PT152 |date=2016-08-10|isbn=9781786721914 }} of the United Arab Emirates, located in Abu Dhabi. The palace stands as a symbol of governance, functioning as a venue for political meetings, both diplomatic state receptions and Council of Ministers meetings, as well as a destination for visitors and tourists. It is not a residential space.
History
Construction of the palace was completed in 2017.{{Cite web|date=|title=Everything you need to know about Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi|url=https://www.timeoutabudhabi.com/attractions/attractions-features/451183-everything-you-need-to-know-about-qasr-al-watan-in-abu-dhabi|access-date=22 February 2022|website=Time Out Abu Dhabi}}
Prior to 2019, the palace was used to serve for official purposes only until it was opened to the public as a tourism site by President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2019.
Prior to its opening, the palace was used only for official purposes, mainly hosting foreign leaders of states, and for meetings of the country's supreme council and federal cabinet. Even after being opened to the public, the palace continues to be used for these purposes.{{cite news |last=Edwards |first=Noni |title=Visiting Qasr Al Watan? Here's the best things to see |publisher=Gulf News |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/visiting-qasr-al-watan-heres-the-best-things-to-see-1.1554197863082 |date=2019-04-03 |access-date=2019-08-30}}
The palace was opened to the public on 11 March 2019,{{cite news |last=Nandkeolyar |first=Karishma H. |title=Qasr Al Watan opens to the public: First-person account of a visit |publisher=Gulf News |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/qasr-al-watan-opens-to-the-public-first-person-account-of-a-visit-1.1552311396753 |date=2019-03-11 |access-date=2019-04-21}}{{cite news |last=Sebugwaawo |first=Ismail |title=Your ultimate guide to UAE's latest landmark Qasr Al Watan |publisher=Khaleej Times |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/abu-dhabi/your-ultimate-guide-to-uaes-latest-landmark-qasr-al-watan |date=2019-03-11 |access-date=2019-08-30}}{{cite web |publisher=Qasr Al Watan |title=Qasr Al Watan |url=https://www.qasralwatan.ae |access-date=2019-04-21}} in a ceremony hosted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai).{{cite news |work=WAM |title=Photos: UAE leaders inaugurate Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi |publisher=Khaleej Times |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/photos-uae-leaders-inaugurate-qasr-al-watan-in-abu-dhabi |date=2019-03-11 |access-date=2019-08-30}} In August, the palace was named by the travel and tourism website of Hotel and Rest{{cite news |last=Al Majayda |first=Dr. Jamal |title=Qasr Al Watan is among the 20 greatest landmarks of modern culture and art in the world |publisher=Hotel and Rest |url=http://www.hotelandrest.com/en/tourism-news/article-54123/ |date=2019-08-27 |access-date=2019-08-30}} among the top 20 landmarks of art and culture in the World.{{cite news |publisher=Design Middle East |title=Abu Dhabi's Qasr Al Watan is among the 20 greatest landmarks of modern culture and art |url=http://design-middleeast.com/abu-dhabis-qasr-al-watan-is-among-the-20-greatest-landmarks-of-modern-culture-and-art/ |date=2019-08-27 |access-date=2019-08-30}}{{cite news |last=Shephard |first=Harriet |title=Qasr Al Watan named as one of the best landmarks in the world |publisher=Time Out Abu Dhabi |url=https://www.timeoutabudhabi.com/attractions/414065-qasr-al-watan-named-as-one-of-the-best-landmarks-in-the-world%E2%80%A8 |date=2019-08-28 |access-date=2019-08-30}} In 2020, the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace was nominated for the World Travel Awards as the main cultural tourist attraction in the Middle East.{{Cite web|last=alfaham|first=WAM/Tariq|date=2020-06-24|title=Qasr Al Watan nominated for World Travel Awards as Middle East's Leading Cultural Tourist Attraction 2020 {{!}} Businessliveme.com - Business News Middle East {{!}} BLME|url=https://www.businessliveme.com/uae/qasr-al-watan-nominated-for-world-travel-awards-as-middle-easts-leading-cultural-tourist-attraction-2020/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Businessliveme.com|language=en-US}}
Interior and exterior
File:P1-GF-C02-MAIN MAJLIS (2).jpg of Qasr al Watan]]
With a façade made of white granite and limestone, the mainly white palace is intricately designed and ornately decorated. It includes a dome with a diameter of {{convert|37|m|ft|abbr=on}}, a chandelier with 350,000 pieces of crystal, and a number of compartments. The dome is located on top of the central chamber known as "The Great Hall", which is surrounded by two wings to the east and west.
= Eastern wing =
The eastern wing has the "House of Knowledge", where a number of artefacts and other objects of importance are stored. Stored objects include gifts presented by visiting officials from other countries,{{cite web |publisher=My Bayut |title=The Qasr Al Watan Palace in Abu Dhabi Review |url=https://www.bayut.com/mybayut/qasr-al-watan-palace-abu-dhabi/ |year=2019 |access-date=2019-08-30}} and 2 religious texts in the "House of Knowledge": the Quran (including a replica of the Birmingham manuscript) and the Bible (including the Psalms of David).{{cite news |last=Sengupta |first=Chiranti |title=6 reasons to visit Qasr Al Watan this Eid |publisher=Gulf News |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/6-reasons-to-visit-qasr-al-watan-this-eid-1.1559123741075 |date=2019-05-29 |access-date=2019-08-30}} There is also a library with more than 50,000 books which document the cultural, social and political history of the country.
= Western wing =
The western wing has halls which are used for official purposes. Here, there is a room known as the "Spirit of Collaboration", where meetings of the UAE Cabinet and Federal Supreme Council would be hosted, besides summits of international bodies like the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Arab League and Gulf Cooperation Council. Elsewhere, banquets for official events, besides diplomatic gifts from other countries, are kept.
File:New Presidential Palace in Abudhabi ($490M) - panoramio.jpg
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdmuPOx9g7s Inside the Abu Dhabi Presidential Palace] (Gulf News on YouTube)
{{Abu Dhabi}}