I had the opportunity to visit Manama and the rest of the island of Bahrain on several occasions while I was living in the Middle East. What follows are some of the photos I took during my visits.
Driving past Al Fateh Grand Mosque in Manama.
“Tree of Life” – this ghaf tree is named so because it is over 400 years old and has miraculously survived in a desert with precious little vegetation to be found nearby; it is also a popular tourist attraction in Bahrain.
Arad Fort at dusk.
Another view of Arad Fort, which was built in the 15th-century AD in the typical style of Islamic forts before the Portuguese invaded in 1622 AD.
Driving across the bridge on Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Causeway with the Bahrain World Trade Center on the right.
Beit Al Quran building, which contains a collection of rare Qur’ans, calligraphy, and other Islamic artifacts.
Market gate to Souq Bab Al Bahrain in Manama.
Replica of a relief showing Ur-Nanshe, King of Lagash, in Mesopotamia (ca. 2500 BC); the inscription reads: “The ships of Dilmun, from the foreign lands, brought me wood as tribute” – on display inside the Bahrain National Museum (the Dilmun culture lived in Bahrain over 4,000 years ago).
Diorama of pottery production in olden times.
Qur’an displayed in Bahrain National Museum.
Dilmun burial jars.
Recreation of Dilmun burial practices in Bahrain National Museum.
Minaret for the Siyadi mosque with the Siyadi house behind it, located in Muharraq City; the house was constructed for the pearl merchant Abdullah bin Isa Siyadi and Siyadi acquired the mosque and made improvements to it (the current structure dates to 1910 AD).
Another view of the Siyadi house, which finished construction in 1931 AD.
Manama seen from Muharraq City.
Dhow and fishing traps.
McDonald’s and delivery motorcycle in Manama.
Sun shrouded in a sandy sky.
Neighborhood next to Riffa Fort.
Riffa Fort’s western tower.
Inside Riffa Fort, which is also known as “Sheikh Salman bin Ahmed Fort” and was built during the sheik’s reign in 1812 AD.
Steps leading up to the rampart.
Looking outside a stone screen inside the fort.
Room inside Riffa Fort.
Looking toward the northern corner of the fort.
Looking out into the courtyard of Riffa Fort.
Another view inside Riffa Fort.
Looking out of an archway inside the fort.
Date palms outside of Riffa Fort.
Bahrain World Trade Center – completed in 2008 AD, this 240 meter tall, twin-towered skyscraper has wind turbines built into the structure to help provide power.
Fish Roundabout on Municipality Avenue.
Walking through the Souq Bab Al Bahrain.
Dromedary camels in the Bahraini desert.
Beach on the western shore of Bahrain.
Bahrain Fort (or “Qal’at al-Bahrain”) and the Dilmunite ruins.
Dilmunite ruins that are being excavated and reconstructed (located adjacent to Bahrain Fort).
Outer wall to Bahrain Fort, which is also known as the Portuguese Fort since the Portuguese conquered the area in the 16th-century AD and made improvements to the existing structure.
Turret on the southwest corner of the fort.
Looking down at a corridor in Bahrain Fort.
Thatched huts in Bahrain Fort.
Corridor with pointed arches in Bahrain Fort.
Reed ship on display in the Bahrain Fort Museum; ships used by the Dilmun culture would’ve resembled these.
Funerary stelæ on display in the Bahrain Fort Museum.
Pearls on display inside the Bahrain Fort Museum.
Roundabout on Al Nakheel Highway in Karranah.
Barbar Temple, which dates back to 3000 BC and is believed to be from the Dilmun culture.
Another view of the ruins of Barbar Temple.
Subterranean shrine at Barbar Temple, which would’ve been partially filled with water and likely served as a site to worship Enki, the god of wisdom and freshwater.
Some more stone walls at Barbar Temple.
Pearl Roundabout in Manama.
Dhows in Manama Marina.
Al Fateh Grand Mosque – built in 1988 AD, it is the largest mosque in Bahrain.
Arad Fort, which was built in the 15th-century AD.
Canon in Arad Fort.
Courtyard in Arad Fort.
Manama, viewed from Arad Fort.
Exterior view of Arad Fort.
An open journal or an exercise in narcissism.