The Bastakia Quarter in Dubai
A visit to Dubai would be incomplete without a tour of the Bastakia region: A region which gets its name from the region Bastak in South Iran and is easily one of the oldest settlements in Dubai.
The architecture in the Bastakia area of Dubai can be dated back to as far as the 1890s, with its famous narrow lanes and large wind towers. The Bastak region was originally populated by pearl divers and was one of the richest districts in Dubai until oil was discovered in the region.
The Bastakia area is characterised by its wind towers. These towers were built before the days of modern air-conditioning and helped to cool down the houses in the region. Today, 
the towers are mainly for tourism purposes and have been well preserved by the Dubaigovernment.
In addition to its wind towers, the Bastakia region is also known for the Al Fahidi Ford. This is the oldest building in Dubai and was built towards the end of the 18th century. Today, this fort houses the Dubai Museum, which contains many local treasures. Al Fahidi however, is not the only fort in Dubai, with many others like the Umm Royool Tower, Nahar Tower and the Naif Fort being situated in this region. One of the main tourist attractions in the area is the city wall that guarded old Dubai. This is definitely a sight worth seeing, especially after the recent renovations by the government.
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