Al Jasra House

Al Jasra House on Bahrain's west coast was built in 1907 and is where Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, who ruled from 1961 to 1999, was born. It was put up in the traditional way with coral stone, gypsum, palm trunks and palm frond ceilings, and it stands as a straightforward example of how a substantial Bahraini house was built before concrete. A handicraft centre operates nearby. The village around it kept its date gardens later than most of the northern strip, and traces of that cultivation are still visible on the approach.

What you actually see

• The traditional construction - coral stone, gypsum, palm trunks and frond ceilings.
• The 1907 building - the birthplace of the ruler who reigned from 1961.
• The courtyard plan - rooms arranged around the open centre.
• The handicraft centre - the workshops operating close by.

When to go

November to March is the comfortable season. The house keeps set hours and closes on some days. Mornings are cooler for the visit.

Honest expectations

The house is small and largely unfurnished, and an hour covers it. Interpretation is limited. It closes on some days without much notice.

Nearby

Bilaj Al Jazayer is south, and Manama is northeast.