Old Bastakia

Old Bastakia Dubai 1975

Port Lingah

Port Lingah in Persia was a major seaport in the Gulf. In the early 1900s the Persian Government employed the Belgian Customs to collect Customs Dues at the Port. Local Persian Merchants were unhappy with this new Customs arrangement. They liked the old Customs which was poorly operated and corrupt so Merchants rarely had to pay any Customs Duties.

Dubai Free Port

Dubai's Ruler Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum had declared Dubai a "Customs Free" Port and was looking for business. He offered these unhappy Persian Merchants free land in Bastakia area next to Dubai Creek as encouragement to bring their trade from Persia to his newly established Customs Free port. The Merchants accepted the offer and moved to Dubai bringing their Families and Builders. The Builders constucted coral rock and mud houses in Bastakia incorporating unique Windtowers, a feature of buildings in their homeland. These Windtowers trapped and redirected the prevailling breezes into the interior of these courtyard houses for cooling during summer.

Neglect and Restoration

The Merchants prospered and left Bastakia to restablish in other parts of Dubai. Bastakia's buildings slowly began to be used for accommodating labour and as store houses. The buildings became neglected with the coral and mud constructions decaying and crumbling. Many of these Old Bastakia buildings were later demolished to make way for the new Government Buildings before there was a realisation of the historical importance and heritage value of these unique buildings. Dubai Municipality has restored most of the remaining parts of Bastakia.

Bastakia in Dubai as it is today!

See how Bastakia used to be in 1988! CLICK HERE

Sheikh Rashid