Unspecified/General

In the central Khalid Lagoon of downtown Sharjah just east of the historic Sharjah Heritage Area, Al Noor Island is a 45,000-square-metre artificial island that has been transformed into one of the most thoughtfully designed small public garden and leisure parks in the broader United Arab Emirates. The island opened to the public in December 2015 following a comprehensive three-year landscape-and-architecture development programme led by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority, fulfilling the long-standing vision of the Emirate's ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi for a small contemplative public garden island in the central downtown lagoon. The island is accessed by a dramatic 273-metre pedestrian footbridge from the eastern lagoon shoreline, with the bridge itself an architectural feature in its own right (a slender steel-and-wood structure with rhythmically spaced pavilions providing intermediate rest points along the long crossing). The island is organised around several distinct themed garden zones, each designed to provide a different sensory and visual experience. The Butterfly House occupies a dramatic 800-square-metre tropical-themed indoor conservatory at the centre of the island, with a continuously climate-controlled environment supporting more than 500 individual butterflies representing some 20 different tropical species. The butterflies are imported from Malaysia, the Philippines and several Central American countries, with continuous breeding programmes maintaining the resident population year-round. The Literature Pavilion houses a small open-air library and reading garden, with a rotating selection of approximately 1,000 books available for visitors to borrow during their visit. The pavilion is open on all four sides, with the central reading area sheltered by a dramatic curving wooden canopy that filters the bright Sharjah sunlight while preserving the cooling sea breezes. The Garden Zone covers most of the island's outer perimeter, with several distinct landscaped sections themed to different horticultural traditions. The Desert Garden features carefully cultivated native Arabian desert plants. The Tropical Garden features mature palm groves and brilliantly flowering tropical shrubs. The Aromatic Garden features fragrant herbs, flowering vines and small ornamental fruit trees. The island also includes several small architectural features including dramatic sculptural lighting installations that transform the landscape after dark, a small lakefront cafe and a small visitor centre. The island operates daily with extended evening hours.

Type: Outdoors

Address: Khalid Lake, Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Telephone: 06-556-6111

Website: alnoorisland.ae

Opening Date: 01/12/2015