Sir Bani Yas Island — a cultural and environmental landscape Sir Bani Yas is a sanctuary of history, culture, geology, and biodiversity. The island is a testament to the vision of our late Founding Father Sheikh Zayed.

Salt domes

Sir Bani Yas Island is one of the larger islands on the Al Dhafra coast. The island was created over hundreds of millions of years as the pressure of overlying rocks forced deeply buried salt to the surface. These salt domes also brought pigments, minerals, crystals, and other rocks to the surface that were exploited throughout history. Evidence from other islands shows that minerals from local salt domes were being exploited at least 8500 years ago.

Archaeological heritage

Archaeological investigations on Sir Bani Yas have resulted in the discovery of multiple sites from various time periods. During the Neolithic (8000–4000 BCE), the island inhabitants were quarrying flint from the outcrops and possibly exporting it to neighboring communities.

During the Bronze Age (3000–1300 BCE), the island served as a post associated with Dilmun trade in the region. A merchant’s seal, along with several potsherds with traces of bitumen, was unearthed in a small stone structure.

Around the 7th–8th centuries CE, a Christian community settled on the island. A church, monastery, and several courtyard houses were discovered by archaeologists. Plaster stucco panels that once decorated the church walls with crosses, grapes, vines, and palm were recovered from the rubble during excavation.

Sir Bani Yas Island was first mentioned in European literature around 1590 by Gasparo Balbi, an Italian jeweller and merchant, who referred to it as being located in a region where pearls were found. The tradition of pearling continued to be important until the early 20th century.

In 1971, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, declared Sir Bani Yas Island a nature reserve. It is now the Arabian Wildlife Park and covers 1,400 hectares.
The park is a sanctuary for thousands of free-roaming indigenous animals and birds, and also has animal breeding and relocation programmes.

In his memory, under his direction from 1959, the Historic Environment Department continues to discover and protect the heritage of the island. These efforts reflect the enthusiasm and support our Founding Father expressed towards the discoveries made on Sir Bani Yas in 1991.

Sir Bani Yas Island Visitor Centre

The Sir Bani Yas Island Visitor Centre, inaugurated in 2023, serves as a valuable cultural resource to all guests, where they can learn more about the historic landscape of the island.

The new centre provides an informative and interactive experience within an exhibition space directly connected to the Church and Monastery site, which visitors can easily explore. The centre showcases curated objects from various sites on the island, spanning different time periods.