Abu Dhabi's Qasr Al Watan shuts its doors for one week

The capital's Presidential Palace, which first opened to the public this year, will be temporarily closed until Sunday, November 17

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - March 11, 2019: Exclusive preview and guided tour of Qasr Al Watan, the UAEÕs new cultural landmark. Monday the 11th of March 2019 at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Qasr Al Watan is temporarily closed to visitors this month.

Abu Dhabi's Presidential Palace, which first opened to the public in March, will shut its doors between Sunday, November 10 and Saturday, November 16.

The palace, which houses the formal offices of the President, the Vice President and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, will reopen for visitors on Sunday, November 20.

The palace had previously announced it would close for 10 days, but narrowed the dates in a statement released today.

Tickets for the affected dates cannot be purchased on Qasr Al Watan's website, with the booking page saying: "This is a working government building, unexpected closures may occur."

Much of the "working palace" remains closed off, though 10 zones opened to the public for the first time earlier this year, such as the library, which features a collection of 50,000 books collected over 35 years, and the striking Great Hall, which houses a 37-metre-diameter dome.

Qasr Al Watan is housed in the Presidential Palace compound in Ras Al Akhdar, and was handed over by contractors in 2015 and finished in 2017.

It is the official meeting place for the UAE Cabinet and the Federal Supreme Council.

A palace and garden ticket, which gives you access to all public spaces, inside and out, costs Dh60 for an adult and Dh30 for children aged four to 17 years. Alternatively, a garden-only ticket to access the grounds and visitor centre costs Dh25 for adults and Dh12 for juniors.

Visitors affected by the closure can call the building's contact centre on 600 544 442 or email contact@qasralwatan.ae for more information.