Photos of Al Ain, Garden City of the Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates

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Al Ain, Garden City of the Abu Dhabi Emirate

Al Ain (literally "The Eye", referring to a spring) is also known as the Garden City due to its greenery. It is situated about 160 kilometres east of the capital Abu Dhabi, in the Buraimi oasis, on the border with Oman.

Al Ain roundabout
 
Entering the town
 
Khalifa bin Zayed Street
 
Date palm grove
 
Date palm plantation
 
Alley in Al Ain Oasis
 
Mosque in oasis
 
Al Ain Oasis alley
 
Al Ain Palace Museum
 
Majlis, Al Ain Fort
 
Private Majlis in the Fort
 
View to the Majlis
 
Qasr Al Ain gate
 
Sultan Fort
 
Watching a museum display
 
Bedouin tent interior
 
View to Jebel Hafeet
 
View from Jebel Hafeet
 
View into Oman
 
Mercure Grand Hotel
 
View into Oman
 
View from Jebel Hafeet
 
Green Mubazzarah Park
 
Jebel Hafeet
 

Al Ain is the second largest city in the Abu Dhabi Emirate and the fourth largest city in the UAE with a population of 375,000. It is the birthplace of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and first president of the United Arab Emirates. The palace where he was born is now a museum, which replicates what life was like there. There are various other forts that can be visited, like the Sultan Fort, built in 1910, now on the grounds of the Al-Ain National Museum. The actual oasis with its groves of date palms, narrow walled alleys and small mosques to explore is a nice place to visit with an active camel market about 20 kilometres away.

About 30 kilometres from the city is Jebel Hafeet, a jagged limestone mountain, rising to a height of 1,350 metres out of the surrounding plains. A road with spectacular views winds up to the peak and at the foot of Jebel Hafeet is Green Mubazzarah Park, with popular family holiday chalets.