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JAZIRAT AL HAMRA
CREATED BY #62321
JAZIRAT AL HAMRA — LITERALLY “RED ISLAND” — IS AN ABANDONED TRADITIONAL FISHING VILLAGE LOCATED ON THE COAST OF THE EMIRATE OF RAS AL KHAIMAH, ABOUT A 90-MINUTE DRIVE NORTH OF DUBAI. ONCE SEPARATED FROM THE MAINLAND BY A STRAIT, IT HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MAINLAND FOR YEARS DUE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF SAND.
history
THE ORIGINS OF JAZIRAT AL HAMRA DATE BACK TO THE 14TH CENTURY. IT EVENTUALLY BECAME KNOWN AS A SETTLEMENT FOUNDED BY THE ZAʽAB TRIBE, WHICH DEVELOPED A WAY OF LIFE BASED ON PEARL DIVING AND FISHING. AT THE TURN OF THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES, THE VILLAGE HAD UP TO 500 HOUSEHOLDS AND OVER 25 PEARL FISHING BOATS. IN 1968–1971, ALMOST ALL OF THE MORE THAN 2,500 INHABITANTS MOVED TO ABU DHABI AFTER A DISPUTE WITH THE SHEIKH OF RAS AL KHAIMAH.
JAZIRAT AL HAMRA IS THE ONLY PRESERVED HISTORIC PEARL TOWN IN THE PERSIAN GULF. BUILDINGS MADE OF CORAL BLOCKS, BEACH ROCK, AND MANGROVE WOOD, RANGING FROM SIMPLE HUTS TO ORNATE RESIDENCES WITH BARJEEL (WIND TOWERS), ARE AN AUTHENTIC EXAMPLE OF PRE-PETRO-IMPERIAL ARCHITECTURE.
MOSQUES (INCLUDING THE FORMER MOSQUE WITH 20 DOMES), A FORT, WATCHTOWERS, AND A SOUK HAVE ALSO BEEN PRESERVED.
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
THE VILLAGE IS LISTED ON THE UNESCO TENTATIVE LIST AS THE ONLY EXAMPLE IN THE REGION OF A FORMER SOCIO-ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURE THAT HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE THE 1960S. SINCE 2010, CONSERVATION WORK HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT AND IS STILL ONGOING, RESTORING THE AUTHENTIC APPEARANCE OF BUILDINGS SUCH AS THE BIN OMRAN AND ABDUL KARIM HOUSES, AS WELL AS THE MOSQUE AND FORT.
CURRENTLY, JAZIRAT AL HAMRA FUNCTIONS AS AN OPEN-AIR MUSEUM—ACCESSIBLE FREE OF CHARGE AND WITHOUT FORMAL OPENING HOURS, ALTHOUGH IT IS RECOMMENDED TO VISIT DURING THE DAY FOR SAFETY REASONS
YOU CAN EXPLORE THE NARROW STREETS (SIKKA) ON YOUR OWN, ADMIRE THE TRADITIONAL HOUSES, MOSQUES, AND SOUK, AND FEEL THE ATMOSPHERE OF AN ABANDONED PEARL VILLAGE.
in culture
THE PLACE IS A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR FILMMAKERS – IN 2018, IT WAS USED DURING THE FILMING OF MICHAEL BAY'S “6 UNDERGROUND,” PRETENDING TO BE AFGHANISTAN AND NIGERIA.
THERE ARE ALSO LEGENDS ABOUT GHOSTS AND JINN APPEARING IN LOCAL FOLKLORE, WHICH ENHANCES THE FAMOUS STATUS OF THE “GHOST TOWN.”
IN WORLD OF WALKER
JAZIRAT AL HAMRA WAS USED BY KRISTIAN BERG AS THE BACKDROP FOR SCENES TELLING THE STORY OF THE WALKERS, WHO COME FROM WARMER REGIONS OF THE WORLD.
THE RUINED ARCHITECTURE, CRACKED WALLS, AND DESERTED STREETS REFLECT THE BRUTAL REALITY OF A WORLD DESTROYED BY WAR, EVOKING ANXIETY AND REFLECTION IN THE VIEWER. THE NAME ITSELF – “GHOST TOWN” – INTENSIFIES THE ATMOSPHERE OF MYSTERY AND HORROR, GIVING THE SHOTS AN ALMOST METAPHYSICAL CHARACTER.
SCENES DEPICTING THE MOMENT OF SCANNING AN ABANDONED SHIP WERE ALSO FILMED IN THE NEARBY DESERT.
