His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated this afternoon the project to revive the old town of Al Heera in the city of Sharjah, which includes rebuilding and restoring houses, uncovering the old foundations of buildings, and historical narratives on the plan of the old town, and transforming them into specialized centers that enrich the movement. Cultural and literary in the emirate.
Upon his arrival in the Al-Hira area, His Highness unveiled the memorial that commemorates the founding of the town of Al-Hira four centuries ago and was held in the year 1613 AD, in which Al-Qawasim arrived in the city of Sharjah.
After that, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah opened the house of Sultan bin Abdullah bin Majid Al Owais, which is located on an area of 900 square meters, and its foundations were revealed and rebuilt in the style of traditional architecture. His Highness unveiled it to become the Al Heera Literary Majlis, and His Highness wandered around the house, learning about its details, which include two entrances. And a reception hall attached to a liwan on three sides overlooking the first courtyard of the house, which can accommodate 150 visitors. It contains several rooms that were previously used as sitting rooms, storerooms, and family rooms, and today they have been prepared for use as a library, a café, offices, and sitting rooms.
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah moved to the upper floor of the house, listening to an explanation of its details, which was previously a family suite, consisting of bedrooms with a covered balcony in the middle. They have now been converted into two large rooms, one for men and the other for women, each of which can accommodate 40 guests. His Highness watched. Architectural designs and materials that were used in rebuilding the house, such as wooden materials and old lighting.
The corners of the house were modernized using the latest services, such as air conditioning systems, aesthetic lighting, and traditional lanterns. Plaster floors were chosen to be compatible with the traditional urban style, in addition to the use of coral stones in building the walls. The rooms and corridors were roofed with sandalwood, mats, and bamboo wood according to the original design of the house.
His Highness unveiled the curtain on the Sultan bin Abdullah bin Majid Al Owais Mosque, announcing the opening of the mosque. His Highness and the audience led the Maghrib prayer in it, and listened to an explanation of the details of rebuilding the mosque, in which plaster and coral marine stone were used. It can accommodate about 120 male worshipers and about 40 female worshipers. 5 toilets and 10 ablutions for men were also provided, as well as a toilet and 3 ablutions inside the women’s wing in the services building attached to the project.
The mosque was designed according to the architectural elements that were unique to ancient Sharjah mosques, such as niches, columns, ceilings, doors, windows, and plaster inscriptions. The mosque also contains a heritage liwan to accommodate more worshipers, a side door in addition to its main door, and a platform for Friday prayers.
The project to revive the old town of Al-Hira includes the house of Sultan bin Abdullah bin Majid Al Owais, in addition to the house of Hamid Khalaf Bu Khasra, which has an area of 428 square meters and consists of one floor and is currently used as a reading hall, and the house of Khalifa Sultan Al Suwaidi, which is located on an area of 527 square meters and includes two floors. A large covered and air-conditioned courtyard is used for lectures, seminars and celebrations. The house includes a library, a lecture hall and administrative offices.
Sheikh Salem bin Abdul Rahman Al Qasimi, Head of the Office of His Highness the Ruler, His Excellency Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Community Protection, His Excellency Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Emirate of Sharjah, and a number of senior officials, heads and directors of local departments, witnessed the inauguration alongside His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.
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