Kuwait City, the capital, is a newly
constructed city with highrises, boulevards, well- cared-for
parks and gardens. Also a port city, it receives huge tankers,
colourful dhows and various ships from all over the world. The
National Museum in Kuwait City, used to house the most important
collection of Islamic art but the Kuwait-Iraq War left it in
ruins. Parts of the museum have been restored and reopened to
public.
Worth visiting is the Tareq Rajab Museum, a private collection
of Islamic art assembled by Kuwait’s first minister of
antiquities. It is open Saturday to Thursday from 9 am to 12
noon and 4 pm to 7 pm and is closed on Friday. Sadu House is a
museum for Bedouin arts and crafts. It is the best place for
buying Bedouin goods. Seif Palace is the official seat of the
Emir’s court and can be seen from the observation tower of the
Kuwait Towers. One of the oldest buildings in Kuwait,
constructed in 1896, the Palace is not open to public and
photography is prohibited unless you have a photo permit.
The Grand Mosque is a huge modern mosque constructed in 1986
that can supposedly house 5500 worshippers. Kuwait Towers, three
in number, are Kuwait’s main landmark. The observation deck is
open daily between 9 am to 11 pm and offers a fabulous view,
especially of the Emir’s Palace. You cannot take photographs
here for security reasons. There are restaurants and coffee
shops below the observation deck. |
