Jumeirah

For the hotel chain, see Jumeirah (hotel chain).
Jumeirah
جميرا
United Arab Emirates community

Aerial view of Jumeirah from the Burj Al Arab.
Country United Arab Emirates
Emirate Dubai
City Dubai
Boroughs
List
  • Jumeirah 1
  • Jumeirah 2
  • Jumeirah 3
Area
 • Total 6 km2 (2 sq mi)
Population (2000)[1]
 • Total 26,499
 • Density 4,400/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Coordinates 25°12′36″N 55°14′56″E / 25.21007°N 55.24896°E / 25.21007; 55.24896Coordinates: 25°12′36″N 55°14′56″E / 25.21007°N 55.24896°E / 25.21007; 55.24896

Jumeirah (Arabic: جميرا‎‎, "Beautiful") is a coastal residential area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates mainly comprising low rise private dwellings. It is administratively divided into three neighborhoods named "Jumeirah 1," Jumeirah 2" and "Jumeirah 3." It has both expensive and large detached properties as well as more modest town houses built in a variety of architectural styles. The area is popular with expatriates working in the emirate and is familiar to many tourists visiting Dubai.

History

Historically, Emirati people living in the Jumeirah were fishermen, pearl divers and traders. In modern times (1960 onwards) Jumeirah was the principal area for western expatriate residences.

The beachfront area was previously called Chicago Beach,[2] as the site of the former Chicago Beach Hotel.[3] The locale's peculiar name had its origins in the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company which at one time welded giant floating oil storage tankers on the site.[2]

The old name persisted for a time after the old Hotel was demolished in 1997. Dubai Chicago Beach Hotel was the Public Project Name for the construction phase of the Burj Al Arab Hotel until Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum [4]

Overview

The huge expansion of the emirate of Dubai since the late 1990s has seen a growth in housing developments across Dubai, with Jumeirah growing into an area populated by wealthier expats and luxury hotels. Jumeirah is now generally agreed to be one of the most exclusive parts of Dubai and this has led to the use of the Jumeirah name as a brand which signifies exclusivity (e.g. the “Jumeirah Beach Hotel” and the “Jumeirah Beach Club”). The ruling family of Dubai have called their upmarket hotel chain "Jumeirah" (formerly "Jumeirah International"). Jumeirah Beach has a number of luxury hotels on its beach front. The most prominent is the world famous Burj Al Arab hotel, which sits offshore on a man-made island and the architecture of which has become an iconic symbol of Dubai. On the coast of Dubai next to the Burj Al Arab is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, a hotel that is part of the Jumeirah hotel chain. The Madinat Jumeirah, or "Jumeirah City," consists of three luxurious five-star hotels (Mina A'Salam, Al Qasr and Dar Al Masyaf), which include residences, a shopping mall, and a pier that extends into the Persian Gulf and which contains restaurants.

Jumeirah has a mosque, the Jumeirah Mosque, which is open to non-Muslims for tours at 10:00 am on most days other than Friday to give insights into Islam. It is one of the few mosques in the UAE that is open to non-Muslims.

Although there is competition from many new areas, and although many of Jumeirah's well-to-do have already moved to some of those areas, such as Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, the Palm Island Jumeirah, and other neighborhoods, Jumeirah is still one of the more expensive and exclusive areas in Dubai, and houses in the area are distinguished by the large size of the houses. Housing there tend to be old by Dubai standards, however.

The 2009 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup was held on the beaches in Jumeirah.

Jumeirah is one of the most expensive areas in Dubai to live in after the Emirates hills. If laying by rent, Jumeirah has the highest prices. Jumeirah 2, and the area in Jumeirah 2 near Al Wasl Road is the most expensive area in Jumeirah with rents as high as 300,000 - 2,000,000 dirhams. Jumeirah's also known for being the Beverly Hills of the Middle East.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Existing Population and Future Holding Capacities in Dubai Urban Area (2000). Dubai Healthcare City. 2000
  2. 1 2 Krane, Jim City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism, page 103, St. Martin's Press (September 15, 2009)
  3. ↑ http://www.dubaiasitusedtobe.com/pages/galleries/chicagohotel.shtm
  4. ↑ http://www.dubaiasitusedtobe.com/pages/places/chicagohotel.shtm

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Dubai/Jumeirah.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jumeirah.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, March 27, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.