Heart of Sharjah

[2] The 35,000 square metre project is the largest heritage site in the Persian Gulf region[3] and is centred around the restoration of the old Sharjah souq district.

[7] The current phase of the project is centred around the $53.5 million, 53-room Al Bait Hotel, a five star luxury hotel build around four heritage houses, including the Bait Ibrahim Mohammed Al Midfa and majlis, which is intended to launch in December 2018.

[8] The houses are of traditional construction, single story with coral and gypsum walls and teak and barasti (palm frond) ceilings.

[4] Part of the project will involve the demolition of the iconic 1970s buildings lining Sharjah's 'Bank Street', designed by Spanish architects Tecnica y Proyectos (TYPSA).

[11] Sharjah's 2018 bid for UNESCO World Heritage Status, under the heading 'Sharjah, Gateway to the Trucial States'[12] includes the Heart of Sharjah; Sharjah Fort; the former barracks of the Trucial Oman Scouts in Mirgab; Al Mahatta Fort, the first airport in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf; Dhaid Fort and Oasis; the coastal town of Khor Fakkan; the oasis and settlement of Wadi Helo and Fili Fort, following the Heart of Sharjah theme of a return to the simplicity and natural lifestyles of the 1950s.