Unspecified/General

Qasr Al Watan, meaning Palace of the Nation, occupies a 380,000 square metre site within the Presidential Palace compound on the Al Ras Al Akhdar peninsula of Abu Dhabi, opening to the public in March 2019 as the first working presidential palace anywhere in the region to admit visitors during designated hours. The building functions simultaneously as a museum, cultural institution and active state ceremonial venue used by the President of the United Arab Emirates for hosting visiting heads of state. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro of New York in collaboration with Wimberly Allison Tong and Goo, the palace covers nearly 350,000 square metres of constructed floor area built entirely from white granite and limestone sourced from the Mediterranean and Middle East. The exterior facade combines traditional Arab and Islamic architectural motifs including geometric patterned mashrabiya screens, ornate columns and pointed arched windows, while the interior centres on the Great Hall, a 100 metre by 100 metre domed chamber rising 70 metres at its apex, covered in a four-layer dome of 350,000 individual ornamental components in gold, lapis lazuli and stainless steel. The chandelier suspended from the central dome weighs eight tonnes and contains 350,000 crystals. Visitor galleries include the Spirit of Collaboration room where state gifts received by the rulers of the UAE from foreign dignitaries are displayed, the House of Knowledge presenting more than 50 original manuscripts including the oldest known Quran written on gazelle skin parchment, and the Presidential Banquet Hall set up in the configuration used during state functions. The Qasr Al Watan Library houses more than 50,000 volumes on Arabic literature, science and history. Evening visitors gather for the Palace in Motion projection mapping show, a 15-minute audiovisual narrative projected across the palace facade telling the story of the United Arab Emirates from pre-history to the present throughout the year. Online ticket booking is required in advance, with timed-entry slots managed to control visitor numbers and preserve the working palace function.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: Al Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Telephone: +971 2 695 5000

Website: https://www.qasralwatan.ae/

Opening Date: 11/03/2019