Category: Qatar

Qatar Museums (QM) said it marked the end of a “hugely successful” series of archaeology and heritage activities with an “enjoyable, informative and interactive” workshop on traditional building methods that took place in the surroundings of Al Zubarah Fort.

The workshop, which was conducted in both Arabic and English, welcomed more than 100 children who took part in hands-on activities and learned about Qatar’s heritage.

The workshop participants received expert instruction and guidance from members of the Cultural Heritage Department at Qatar Museums on a range of historic techniques and methods used by the country’s population historically to build shelters and homes, QM said in a statement.

Following an engaging overview and explanation by the experts, the interactive session gave participants the opportunity to put into practice what they had learned by building their own stone wall. Under careful guidance, they applied the various ancient methods and approaches, including mixing their own mortar. They worked collaboratively in small groups to build a wall from the ground up.

Source: QM holds workshop on traditional building methods

Whether weaving your way through a colourful Arabian street market, careering over desert dunes in a 4×4 or tucking into a traditional Bedouin feast under a starry desert sky – expect the unexpected in Qatar.

Qatar is defined by its contrasts. Just as the futuristic Doha skyline reflects in the historic waters of the Arabian Gulf, the country stands at the crossroads between East and West, between the past and present. A capital on the rise, impressive architecture and attractions appear almost overnight, yet the strides forward have only been made by following in the footsteps of the generations who have gone before. The result is an eclectic space where ultra-modern experiences and cultural gems sit side by side.

DISCOVER OVER 1,000 YEARS OF ARABIAN HISTORY

The first stop for anyone keen to get a real sense of local culture here should be the Museum…..

Read more

Qatar Museums (QM) continues to hold a series of tours for Culture Pass members to a number of cultural attractions across the country aimed at showcasing the history of its ancient residential palaces and archaeological sites.

In e-mails sent to Culture Pass members, QM said the tours will run every month for up to 50 participants (first come first served) throughout the year.

After the successful tour to Al Zubarah, a Unesco World Heritage site, on December 2, QM is organising another one on December 9 from 10am to 12noon.

This popular tourism destination features a fort, an archaeological site, a fortified compound, a palatial compound and the City Wall, as well as the visitor centre and the temporary exhibition.

QM said that transportation will be available at the Museum of Islamic Art car park at 8am and buses will leave at 8.15am sharp.

Read more

Qatar Museums (QM) will launch a series of educational cultural activities at Al Zubarah Unesco World Heritage Site, offering participants hands on experience with traditional practices.

Al Zubarah is one of the best-preserved examples of an 18th century merchant town in the Gulf region, giving rise to the varied cultural workshops that will be open to the public.

Specially-designed practical and artistic workshops will take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from November 17, and will run for the next four months until March 3. Every Thursday and Saturday, the event will run from 2pm to 8pm and from 10am to 8pm on every Friday.

QM said the workshops aim to educate the local community about the traditional crafts and materials that played a significant role in the country’s history. It will help participants appreciate their ancestors’ skills, wisdom and heritage.

Read more

Explore the marvels of Qatar from cultural sites to the latest attractions – we’ve got you covered. All that’s left is for you to pack your bags and jet off to Qatar!

As far as urbanisation and development goes, Qatar is undoubtedly the epitome of a world-class city. Having repositioned itself from a pearl fishing economy into the region’s top performing economy, this city definitely deserves more attention from the world!

What’s remarkable about Qatar is the speed at which the city centre develops at, and the dynamic balance it offers in the preservation of history, tradition and culture. The seamless fusion of heritage and state-of-the-art developments put Qatar in an attractive light, constantly making one wonder what goes on behind the scenes of Qatar’s progress, and what else it has got to offer with its limitless potential.

Read more

Most residents of Qatar who have taken the easy one‑hour drive to Al Zubarah usually stop near the picturesque fort for a brief visit, have their pictures taken in front of the cannon at its gate and then move on.

Only a handful of visitors is aware that Al Zubarah has much more to offer and have heard about the site’s important history and the excavations that have taken place there over the last decades. And even less have ever had the chance to delve into history by visiting the extensive, 60‑hectare‑wide remains of the town that stretches along the beach below the plateau on which the well‑known fort is built.

What elevates Al Zubarah onto the level of World Heritage is what UNESCO defines as ‘outstanding universal value’.

Read more

Qatar has the second most competitive economy in the region when it comes to travel and tourism, a new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) has found.

But it still lags far behind the UAE, which was once again ranked the strongest country in the region, according to the WEF’s Travel and Tourism (T&T) Competitiveness Report 2017.

The WEF stated that the index measures “the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable development of the travel and tourism sector, which in turn, contributes to the development and competitiveness of a country.”

In Qatar, which is trying to diversify away from oil and gas, tourism is becoming an increasingly important part of the economy.

But at 47th out of 136 nations, it remains some ways behind the UAE, which was ranked 29th for its performance this year.

Read more

Yesterday, to conserve the historical Al Zubarah heritage site a 20-day project was launched involving more than 50 young volunteers from Qatar and around the world.

Al Zubarah, Qatar’s largest heritage site, was recently named a Unesco World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved examples of an 18thcentury merchant town in the Gulf region.

The project will run until November 25, which is a part of Unesco’s World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) ‘Together for Heritage’ campaign, an initiative that sits within the framework of the Unesco World Heritage Education (WHE) Programme, aimed at increasing awareness and reinforcing the importance of conserving and protecting world heritage. The initiative helps to develop youth appreciation and respect for heritage and cultural diversity, creating a positive attitude towards heritage preservation.

Read more

Qatar is a funny place. In fact, it’s a funny word that nobody truly knows how to pronounce! It may be funny, but it is one of the richest countries in the world. Oil and gas trillions have made a major global player out of the small Gulf state. In fact, the country of Qatar, approximately the size of New Jersey, will be hosting the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament! There is a massive construction effort to get ready for the tournament like I’ve never seen before all around the country. Most people never get out of Doha, the capital. So I decided to take a tour of the North of Qatar.

The North of Qatar is a strange place. It’s strange because it is so different from Doha.

Read more