Basic HTML Version
humidity of the larger cities.
Mother Nature has been generous to the land-
locked mountainous city. Its attractions include the
Al Ain National Museum, the Al Ain Palace Museum,
several restored forts and the Hili Archaeological
Park site dating back to the Bronze Age. Jebel
Hafeet, a 1,340-metre-high mountain, dominates the
surrounding area. It is popular to visit the mineral
springs at the base and to drive to the mountaintop
at sunset. Other places of interest include; the Al Ain
Oasis in the city center, other oases dotted around
the area offering cool retreats in the middle of the
summer heat, Al Jahili Fort, the Camel Market, many
well-maintained parks, and a heritage village.
This year the City of Al Ain joined the prestigious list
of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its rich cultural
heritage with the likes of the dome-shaped tombs of
Hafeet, the man-made water system of Falaj, and the
cities lush oases.
A cultural retreat, Al Ain also hosts annual events
including the Al Ain Classical Music Festival. The city
has first class hotels, a golf resort, shopping malls,
restaurants, and a wild-life park.
This academic year saw the University take up
residence in the first phases of the new state-of-the-
art campus in the Maqam area of the city.
The “PlanAlAin 2030�?, the Urban Structure Framework
Plan designed by Abu Dhabi Urban Planning, will help
Al Ain evaluate and respond to current and future
development needs and will guide further planning
for new development. It is projected the city will
grow over the next 25 years and planning is in place
to accommodate population growth without over-
development, depletion of ground water resources,
or encroachment on vital natural habitats or heritage
sites. This is essential to preserve the city’s natural
assets which give Al Ain its unique character.