THE project to restore the historic Municipalities Affairs building in Manama reflects Bahrain’s appreciation of its heritage and its long municipal tradition, which began with the establishment of Manama Municipality in 1919, the first of its kind in the GCC, Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak has said.
Restoration work passed the 60 per cent completion mark, he said during a visit to inspect its progress along with Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) president Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa yesterday.
The minister noted that the restoration, carried out in line with the highest conservation standards, preserves an important national landmark and reinforces the kingdom’s pioneering role in municipal governance in the region.
Mr Al Mubarak added that the initiative follows the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to safeguard the historical character and cultural identity of the site.
He also highlighted the ministry’s co-ordination with Baca to ensure that the building’s cultural and historical value is maintained and integrated into broader sustainable development plans.
Shaikh Khalifa emphasised that the restoration will help document more than a century of municipal history in Bahrain.
He noted that reviving the building’s authentic features strengthens efforts to preserve the cultural and architectural heritage of historic Manama, which the authority is working to nominate for inclusion on the Unesco World Heritage List.
He praised the strong co-operation between the authority and the ministry, stressing that such partnerships are key to advancing conservation initiatives and enriching Bahrain’s cultural infrastructure.
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