Al-Murabba Fort: A Former Police Headquarters in Al Ain
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.3
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- Unclassified
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Fort
History
Al-Murabba Fort is a locally styled fort in central Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Built in 1948 on the order of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then ruler of Abu Dhabi and later the founding president of the United Arab Emirates, it served as the headquarters of Al Ain Police and the city’s center for security administration.
The fort remained a police center until the police service moved to another location. Its later use as a landmark in the middle of Al Ain’s market area preserved its connection with the city’s public administration and policing history. The building now houses a police museum, linking its original function with collections that trace the development of the police force.
The museum presents the history of policing through four halls. Its displays address the idea of the police in ancient eras, the formation of the police force across four successive periods, the 60th anniversary of the Abu Dhabi Police General Command, and historic police equipment. The command is the emirate-wide authority responsible for overseeing Abu Dhabi’s police force.
Remains
Al-Murabba Fort stands on the main road in central Al Ain, near Sultan Fort and the present bus station. Its surviving form is that of a locally styled fort, while its interior is organized as a museum with four halls devoted to the history and material development of policing.
The collections include old police weapons, motorcycles, military uniforms, photographs, and historic vehicles. A model represents the first vehicle used by the police force. The displays also include the first radar used in the United Arab Emirates, introduced in 1972, together with an old computer and cameras once used to photograph crime scenes.
Other exhibits preserve the administrative records of policing, including vehicle ownership documents, military identification cards, and vehicle driving licences. Together, these materials show the change from handwritten entries to records produced through electronic printing. A commemorative mural marks the 60th anniversary of the Abu Dhabi Police General Command.
