Bahrain - Manama, City of Trade, Multiculturalism and Religious Coexistence

"Manama is located at the northern coast of the main island of the Kingdom of Bahrain, a small island state located in the center of the Arabian Gulf. As a result of its strategically good location Bahrain has always been an international maritime trade and multicultural hub. Since ancient times the main harbor is located at Bahrain's northern coast; previously in Qal'at al-Bahrain: Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun, a World Heritage Site, and since the 19th century, in Manama. At that time Manama developed as part of a network of settlements which connected the Arabian Gulf to trade routes extending from the Mediterranean and the Red Sea to South East Asia. Towards the end of the 19th century Manama was one of the most important trade hubs in the region. Merchants were the most influential people in town and contributed tremendously to its urban development including the establishment of various places of worship. With the creation of the first municipal government in the region in 1919, a new phase of modernization began and was further accelerated in 1932, when the first Bahraini oil reserves were discovered and exploited, the first one on the Arabian side of the Gulf.

The property comprises a variety of attributes that carry its potential Outstanding Universal Value including the souq area, merchant houses, shops, as well as public buildings like the customs house, the Bab al-Bahrain or the old court. Many edifices show foreign influences, such as the wooden porch that can be found on many residential buildings which originates in Persia, or the various buildings of the modern era that exhibit characteristics of British colonial architecture. Not least because of its long history as a trade hub, Manama became a melting pot of different cultures and a place of peaceful religious coexistence. The latter is represented by over 120 places of worship and a variety of religious festivals celebrated in the streets of Manama."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

The busy Bab Al Bahrain, Manama of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Nice stamps and thanks to the sender for mailing this great card from Bahrain.