Bab Al Bahrain
Encyclopedia
Bab Al Bahrain means Gateway of Bahrain. It is located in the Customs Square in Manama's former central business district (CBD) and marks the main entrance to the Manama souq
. Designed by Sir Charles Belgrave
, adviser to the Emir and completed in 1945, Bab Al Bahrain once stood close to the water's edge. Due to extensive land reclamation in the later years, one needs to walk more than 10 minutes to get to the sea.
Government Avenue, which runs alongside Bab Al Bahrain, and the new highway that leads to the causeway to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were built on reclaimed land. Currently, the Bahrain Financial Harbor is being constructed on further reclaimed land.
The monument itself was refurbished in 1986 to incorporate Islamic architectural features. Today, the ground floor now houses the tourist information office and a handicrafts shop. The monument essentially consists of a huge arch, below which runs a road, which is often referred to as the entrance to the Manama souq (marketplace).
Government Avenue, which runs in front of Bab Al Bahrain, contains many major banks and business establishments. Government Avenue is so named because the entire offices of the Bahrain government were once housed in the Bab. The Gold City (different from Gold Souq) is a shopping complex for gold ornaments and is also located on Government Avenue. The Indian jewellery giant Alukkas has a branch in Gold City.
Manama Souq
Manama Souq is the old bazaar of Bahrain's capital, Manama. It lies in the north of Manama Peninsula, in-between the old parts of the city and the Central Business District, to the east of Noaim and west of Ras Rumman. The area also is home to Bahrain's only synagogue.It is a bustling...
. Designed by Sir Charles Belgrave
Charles Belgrave
Charles Dalrymple Belgrave was a British citizen and adviser to the rulers of Bahrain from 1926 until 1957. He first served under Shaikh Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa , and subsequently under Shaikh Salman ibn Hamad Al-Khalifa ....
, adviser to the Emir and completed in 1945, Bab Al Bahrain once stood close to the water's edge. Due to extensive land reclamation in the later years, one needs to walk more than 10 minutes to get to the sea.
Government Avenue, which runs alongside Bab Al Bahrain, and the new highway that leads to the causeway to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were built on reclaimed land. Currently, the Bahrain Financial Harbor is being constructed on further reclaimed land.
The monument itself was refurbished in 1986 to incorporate Islamic architectural features. Today, the ground floor now houses the tourist information office and a handicrafts shop. The monument essentially consists of a huge arch, below which runs a road, which is often referred to as the entrance to the Manama souq (marketplace).
Government Avenue, which runs in front of Bab Al Bahrain, contains many major banks and business establishments. Government Avenue is so named because the entire offices of the Bahrain government were once housed in the Bab. The Gold City (different from Gold Souq) is a shopping complex for gold ornaments and is also located on Government Avenue. The Indian jewellery giant Alukkas has a branch in Gold City.