Al Manshar Tower
Where Umm Al Quwain's flag was raised in 1768.
Richard Mortel — CC BY 2.0 · Alexandermcnabb — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Richard Mortel — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel — CC BY 2.0 · Richard Mortel — CC BY 2.0
Umm Al Quwain Fort, or Al Ali Fort, was the seat of the Al Mualla rulers from 1768 to 1969 and has housed the Umm Al Quwain National Museum since 2000. The UAE's Ministry of Economy and Tourism counts it among the emirate's oldest buildings. The Al Ali tribe, forebears of the Al Mualla, left Al Sinniyah Island for lack of fresh water; Sheikh Rashid bin Majid Al Mualla then founded the fort as seat of government and family home. It began as just the Al Manshar tower, named for the flag raised on it in 1768, and a square tower, then grew with the town. Later a police station, it became a museum under Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmed Al Mualla. A large round tower and a square one rise over rooms around a courtyard with a well, including the sheikh's chamber and the sheikha's quarters with a women's majlis. Gifts to the ruler, gold jewellery and a gold-glazed ceramic family tree share one room; the documents room shows the emirate's first passport, licences and postage stamp, and handwritten Qurans from 1800. Other rooms display weapons, pearling tools and a replica souq; the courtyard keeps a palm-frond arish, a replica pearling boat and wooden stocks. It stands on Al Hisn Street in the Old Town, the old souq quarter almost ringed by sea and lagoon, with wind-towered houses behind it. Come by car or taxi; allow 20 to 45 minutes. Ajman Museum lies about 23 km south-west as the crow flies, and Al Jazirah Al Hamra heritage town 27 km north-east.
Where Umm Al Quwain's flag was raised in 1768.
The emirate's first passport and licences.
A palm-frond arish and a replica pearling boat.
Al Hisn Street, Old Town, Umm Al Quwain
They locked the hands or feet of people punished for minor offences such as theft or perjury, sometimes several at once. Sentences ran from a few days to several months, or until the complaint was withdrawn.
No: Falaj Al Mualla Fort, built in the early 19th century and reopened in 2015 after restoration, stands in the inland oasis of that name, about 50 km away by road towards Al Dhaid. It is also a museum, whose exhibits include first-century AD pottery from Ed-Dur.