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Bayt Siyadi and the Pearling Path
A restored pearl merchant's house in old Muharraq and the walking route that links the buildings of the island's pearling economy.
Venue facts
Where it is
The old town of Muharraq lies across the water from Manama, reached by bridges in a few minutes. Its narrow lanes, merchant houses and small squares are the setting for the Pearling Path, a marked walking route of a few kilometres that links restored buildings associated with the pearl trade.
Bayt Siyadi
Bayt Siyadi was the home of a prominent pearl-merchant family and is one of the most admired houses in Muharraq. Its facade is decorated with carved plaster and timber, and its rooms are arranged around internal spaces designed to catch breezes. Next to it stands a small mosque built by the same family, with a slender minaret.
The pearling story
For centuries pearls were the backbone of the island economy. Boats left every summer for the oyster beds offshore, and Muharraq was home to the captains, divers, merchants and boat builders who made the trade work. Cultured pearls and the arrival of oil transformed that world in the twentieth century.
In 2012 UNESCO inscribed the site "Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy" on the World Heritage List. It brings together buildings in Muharraq, offshore oyster beds and a stretch of seashore, and it is the reason so many houses along the route have been carefully restored.
Visitor notes
Wear comfortable shoes and allow half a day to walk the route at an easy pace, stopping at houses that are open to visitors and at the old souq along the way. Some buildings open only at certain times or for exhibitions. The lanes are residential, so keep voices low and ask before photographing people or homes.