Bur Dubai - Bastakia

The Bastakia Quarter was built in the late 19th C as the home of wealthy Persian merchants. The merchants dealt mainly in pearls and textiles, and were lured to Dubai because of the tax-free trading and access to Dubai Creek.

Bastakia occupies the eastern portion of Bur Dubai along the Creek. Most of the sophisticated houses date back to the early 1900s and were built with coral and limestone. The buildings in Bastakia have weathered well because they are more durable and more valuable than the huts built with palm fronds.

Walls topped with wind towers shielded many homes of the wealthy families. The wind was trapped in the tower and funneled down in to the house as an early form of air conditioning. Wind towers were common in Iranian coastal houses, which is likely the origin for these towers. The name Bastakia was taken from the Iranian town of Bastak.

The inner courtyards of many of the houses in Bastakia were shady and vividly decorated

Bastakia is noted for its narrow lanes and the restoration of many of its buildings to their former glory. Visitors will enjoy the picturesque heritage sites, conservation areas and the distinctly Arabian architecture as they imagine the life of the early residents.