Hamdan Bin Zayed Visits Sir Bani Yas Church And Monastery

Umer Jamshaid Published June 18, 2019 | 10:15 PM

DHAFRA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 18th Jun, 2019) H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, has visited the site of Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery, the first Christian landmark discovered in the UAE.

After completing its project to preserve and prepare the site, the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi opened it to tourist groups and other visitors.

Sheikh Hamdan toured the site and was briefed about its historical importance, as well as its archaeological features and available facilities and services. He then viewed the sections of the church and monastery, which date back to between 700 and 800 BC, and continued to flourish after the spread of islam in the region.

The site was discovered in 1992, and numerous excavations were launched that discovered its eastern and northern dormitories, its protective wall, and houses.

In 1994, an architectural study confirmed that the site was a church.

At the end of his visit, Sheikh Hamdan said that Sir Bani Yas Island has many ancient landmarks, geological features and man-made attractions, which have made it a leading tourism destinations in Al Dhafra Region.

He added that the monastery and church are symbols of the UAE’s cultural diversity, and were prioritised by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, due to their cultural heritage.

Due to its historical importance, visits to the site have been carefully controlled after the end of the main archaeological excavation, and a platform for visitors was built above the church in 2010.