The ancient church and monastery of Sir Bani Yas Island
A monastery and church is Sir BAni Yas Island was uncovered in 1990s. The discovery of this ancient ground shed light on the early and obscure Christian history of the UAE. As of now, this ancient Sir Bani Yas Island Church and Monastery is the only known historic Christian site in the country.
Important Note: As of March 2023, the ancient church and monastery of Sir Bani Yas Island was permanently closed to visitors. If that situation changes in the future, we will update this article accordingly.
SIR BANI YAS ISLAND – AN OVERVIEW
Sir Bani Yas is the UAE’s largest natural island, located off the shore of Jebel Dhanna, in the southwest of Abu Dhabi.
Its name derives from the Bani Yas tribe, who were the first to live in the city and the island came into existence millions of years ago when a “salt dome” developed, which is still visible today.
Sir Bani Yas Island is one of eight islands that make up the desert islands of Al Dhafra and is home to spectacular wildlife, a variety of adventurous activities, five-star hotels, luxury vacation homes, stables and historical buildings.
SIR BANI YAS ISLAND CHURCH AND MONASTERY
On Sir Bani Yas Island, located off the coast of Abu Dhabi, archaeologists unearthed a church, a monastery and a series of courtyard houses dating back to the 7th century.
The plaster crosses and the church’s plan, which mimic ancient churches found elsewhere in the Arabian Gulf, helped identify that the site was once inhabited by Christian monks.
Archaeologists initially found dormitories, a kitchen, cells and burial places on the church’s floorplan. Decades later, a 2014 excavation crew discovered other structures in areas lying on the west, southwest and north of the original site.
Hundreds of relics discovered at the site show that the monks ate fish and raised cattle, sheep and goats. The settlement’s residents traded considerably, as indicated by glass and pottery artefacts recovered from all across the Arabian Gulf.
Around the same time when the site was discovered, flint tools from the Neolithic Period and a Bronze Age stone building were discovered on the island.
Because of the importance of the site, a shelter was built over it in 2010, with the department’s conservation programme finishing between 2015 and 2016.
The department then began designing and building a new shelter to offer the best possible preservation of the site’s relics from environmental risks, while also improving visitor experience.
At the site of the ancient monastery and church in Sir Bani Yas Island, you can look at the foundation where the building once stood. The guides can show you where the monks had once prayed and lived.
Visitors can see objects discovered at the Sir Bani Yas Monastery displayed at the museum of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW CAN I GET TO SIR BANI YAS ISLAND
You can take the E-11 highway from Abu Dhabi City for a three-hour journey, then take Exit 113 to Jebel Dhanna port where you can park your car.
From there, you can catch one of the four daily boat rides scheduled at noon, 03:00 pm, 06:00 pm and 11:00 pm.
WHERE CAN I STAY AT SIR BANI YAS ISLAND?
There are plenty of luxurious hotels in Sir Bani Yas Island including Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara, the Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Yamm Villa Resort or the Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort.
That concludes our comprehensive guide to the ancient church on Sir Bani Yas Island. If you are looking for more places of historical value to explore in the country, you shouldn’t miss these UNESCO heritage sites in the UAE.
To explore more of the capital, pay a visit to these various heritage sites in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. If you are a wildlife enthusiast and cherish natural beauty, the nature reserves in the UAE are the perfect places to explore.
