UAE/Abu Dhabi: Qasr Al Hosn

Qasr Al-Hosn aka White Fort is a fortress located right in the heart of the city of Abu Dhabi and is the oldest building in the city, built in 1761 to defend the only fresh water well on the Abu Dhabi island. By 1793, it became the residence of the ruling sheikh and emir of Abi Dhabi, and remained the home to the ruling family and the seat of government until 1966. The complex consists of the inner fort mostly dating to late 1700s, and the larger outer palace mostly built and expanded in the 1930s. Today, the fort is a museum, with some royal interior, historic photographs and artifacts, etc, but somewhat empty inside, and clearly overpriced admission-wise.