Blue Skies, Old Ruins
Running about Kuwait, we stopped just to appreciate these ruins. You drive past them all the time, and it gets so you don’t even notice them. Today, the sky is SO blue, and the ruins are so beautiful, and who knows how long they will even be there?
I wish I could have seen this place in all its elegant splendor. You can see it must have been graceful. It looks like a lot of thought went into its construction. I wonder what it was – anyone know? It is near the Diabetes Clinic, near the British Embassy, near Dasman Circle.
I wanted you to see the beautiful arches and the elegant details against the brilliant blue sky before I show you the entire building, in context, with all the cars parked nearby, the towers in the background – it all somehow diminishes the building in context:
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It looks really interesting, Have you ever tried to get inside?
I love the small detail you can see in the archway inside the house on photo 3.
Wow ! thanks for posting about this place, this is the best weather for outdoor shots and the sky is perfect. I’m going there soon to get some nice shots. 😀
Don’t go inside. It’s falling apart!
Beautiful architecture. I heard there is a team looking at these buildings to renovate them. Can’t wait.
Really sad to see all these ruins… can’t understand why no one is feeling responsible for reconstruction or at least maintaining the current state!
Would be really sad if Kuwait would lose this part of their history!
And …
BEAUTIFUL Pictures you took there! Thats the ruin next to the Brit Embassy?!? Isn’t it?!
I was talking about those ruins with a friend not too long ago, she said they used to be her grandfather’s or so.. I will double check. Thing is they got sold and then with the expansions there are so many restrictions now on what to do with them since their location is close to so many things, such as the hospital/research center, Dasman Palace, and such!
I heard it was the original Dasman Palace.
Wat bedoel je met ‘original Dasman Palace’? Het paleis van het staatshoofd? Weet je ook wanneer het gebouwd is? Trouwens, reageren we nu met 3 Nederlanders hier? 🙂
(Transl.;
What do you mean by ‘original Dasman Palace’? The palace of the head of state? Do you also know when it was built?
Btw., are we with 3 Dutch around here responding? :-))
It’s not the old Dasman palace. I heard it described as Sh Khazal’s house. I will double check.
This is an old picture of the building.
Wow Marcel. What a photo!
More please 🙂
I’ve driven by these ruins numerous times and totally missed the inherent symmetry and beauty of the architecture. Thanks for a fresh perspective. 🙂
Aafke – There is rubble all over the ground floor and the second story looks unstable.
Mathai – I look forward to seeing your shots. The sky on that day was SO blue, not the normal milky hazy sky we have most of the year in Kuwait.
Bu Yousef – I would love for more of these buildings to be restored, but it would cost a fortune to make this one stable again, I think. I am watching several renovations along Gulf Road/Corniche – it will be fun to have some historical looking buildings, a la the renovation to the Old American Hospital, which is purely wonderful and marvellously done.
Evil – yes, near the British Embassy. And I think a lot of the damage happened during the invasion and occupation. There are other ruins that also need photographing, ruins with amazing details and lovely proportions.
Ansam – You have the most amazing sources! Come back and let us know!
Q8Dutchie – I don’t know what it is. There are many ruins in the area, including the old American Embassy, near Dasman Circle
Bu Yousef – we are eager to hear what it is!
Marcel – I love the photo, totally love it, and I don’t think it is the same building at all. This building I photographed has more arches, more decorative elements, and look at the detailed railing around the roof . . .
Daisy Mae – You are welcome! Now show us what YOU see!
Love the old photo! Thanks for sharing!
(This blog will now be taken over by the Dutch!)
Well, Bu Yousef is absolutely correct.
This is the house of Sheik Khaz’al.
On a side note, even the British Embassy land actually belongs to Sheik Khaz’al’s heirs and its rent costs KD 20 annually since late Sheik Ahmed Al-Jabir Al-Sobah era.
It was known that in the early days of Kuwait, all the big nice houses located by the sea side belong to Kuwaiti families and were used to accommodate important guests there by a verbal request from the prince and unfortunately as time passed by and the guests remained, the actual owners lost their right in the properties just like what had happened to Al-Asfour’s house (I’m not sure about the first name but I think he is Nokhitha Mohammed Al-Asfour) which is now being called as “Dixin’s House”.
P.S.
In old days, prominent properties didn’t need ownership documentation and everyone knew each building belongs to whom and thus nowadays heirs can’t claim for their right in their inheritance.
I recognized this building and there is another old one across the street to the north. I climbed a nearby building and too this photo of the other building: http://www.flickr.com/photos/misterian/2969393719/
Note the comments that this building (not yours but the one across the street in my photo with the wind tower). I was told that it was built and owned by Shiekh Khazaal the ruler of Khuzestan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khuzestan
up to the year 1925, before the Iranian government invaded the province and claimed it as an Iranian land.
Shiekh Khazaal was a friend of Shiekh Mubarak the ruler of Kuwait at that time, and he had the land as a gift from Shiekh Mubarak.
It’s unclear what happend to Shiekh Khazaal but his supporters think that he was killed by the Shah of Iran.
LOL, Aafke!
Touche’ – I just read your entry aloud to my husband, and we are both so grateful for this information, for your taking the time to educate us.
We just looked at one another in astonishment – “it was known” who the properties belonged to, and now heirs have a problem with property claims – how terribly sad! I had never heard of Dickson’s house being someone else’s house – but of course! It had to have a Kuwaiti owner, of course! Sometimes we are struck by our blind obliviousness to what should be obvious. Again, thank you. 🙂
MisterIan, your photos of Kuwait are amazing!
The photo you took of the other building has a lot in common with the building I photographed, including that detailed railing around the roof. I wonder what you were climbing on to get that shot??!!
Thank you for this additional information. We’ve all learned something, thanks to you and Touche”. As I read the article in Wikipedia, I saw the names of two villages – Behbehan and Dashti- names we see here in Kuwait, Iranians that settled here a long time ago, so long ago that they are now Kuwaiti names. Thank you!
I’m glad I could be helpful.
Since he is around, say hi to “Adventure Man” 🙂
Good night
The house near dasman palace is khazal house, the one you took the photos is al Ghanim house. I am 100/sure.
MisterIan, nice photo! So interesting. Are there any of these houses still in good condition?
In the Qurain cultural festival, there are scheduled talks and visits to historical building under renovation and if I am not mistaken, there was to be a talk about Sheikh Khaz3al house on Thursday January 8th at 9 am
http://www.kuwaitculture.org/qurain15/table.htm
Too bad it was canceled as per the announcement in your post
It would have been great timing, wouldn’t it, Jewaira? (Sigh.)
I find it very interesting about these building. And also that these were built before air conditioning and used wind towers. It is a shame there are not more preserved old buildings.
I took the photograph from the top of an apartment building to the southwest of the building. I’m thinking of doing some more exploring and seeing if I can get to the top of more buildings to get interesting photos.
I love the old wind towers, Mr. Ian. They have preserved several in Qatar, have you been there? Also, in the newly built area in Mangaf, you can see several new houses with architectural references to wind towers – they aren’t the real thing, but I am happy to see them referenced, all the same.
I love your apartment building perspective! Hope you are fit, if you are climbing all those stairs!
Got the news for you..
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite//ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1966318&Language=en
Woooo HOOOOO, Ansam! I bet it was announced at one of those events that was NOT cancelled, even though the press release said they all were!
LLLOOOLLL, it’s like they schedule a Cultural Festival and they really don’t want anyone to come! I would have loved to attend the tour of the places to be rehabbed!
Sheikh khaz3al palace 100%
Thank you. 🙂