Bastakiya also known as Al Bastakiya is an old residential area in Dubai. The area was named Bastakiya after the residents of the area, most of whom were emigrants who came mainly from the Bastak area of Iran. The Al Bastakiya lies within the Dubai Creek area of Bur Dubai. The traditional houses with their tall wind towers, narrow roads and gypsum adorned embellishments and carpentry are all reminiscent of the Dubai that once was, a historical and ancient Dubai, in a time before air conditioning and electricity.
Tourists flock towards this area to witness the Dubai of a time before and get a feel of what Dubai was like before it became a sprawling urban cosmopolitan oasis city that emerged out of the desert sands of the Arab Emirates. The Al Bastakiya area can be dated back towards the early 20th century. Much of the wind towers that can be seen were used to cool the houses during a time before there was electricity in the area. The houses are now part of the Heritage Village, while certain others have become museums.
Places to visit in the area include the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for cultural understanding, the Bastakiah Nights, the Old City Wall, and the XVA art gallery, the Ave Gallery, the Majilis Gallery, the Basta Art Café and the Al Fahidi Fort.
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