Qaṣr Al-Waṭan is the presidential palace of the United Arab Emirates, located in Abu Dhabi.
History of Qasr Al Watan
Construction of the palace was finalized in 2017.
In a tribute to the nation’s heritage, Sheikhs Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates, and Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, made the decision to open the palace to the public in 2019. Previously, the palace had been exclusively used for official functions, primarily hosting foreign leaders of states and convening meetings of the country’s supreme council and federal cabinet. Even after its public opening, the palace remains dedicated to these official functions.
On March 11, 2019, a ceremony hosted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, marked the palace’s public unveiling. In August of the same year, the palace was recognized by the travel and tourism website Hotel and Rest as one of the top 20 landmarks of art and culture in the world. Subsequently, in 2020, the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace received a nomination for the World Travel Awards as the primary cultural tourist attraction in the Middle East.