Al Barza majlis at Abu Dhabi's Qasr Al Watan: Where dignitaries like US President Donald Trump are welcomed

Live updates: Follow the latest on Trump's Gulf trip

Qasr Al Watan’s Al Barza majlis will welcome US President Donald Trump during his visit to the UAE.

The Emirati majlis is a place of gathering and council that can hold up to 300 guests and is decorated with impressive chandeliers and golden finishes.

“The Emirati majlis is the UAE’s deep-rooted cultural tradition of hosting meetings for members of the community to deliberate and share information among each other,” explains a Qasr Al Watan statement about the space. “Historically, a barza refers to a majlis session during which important matters can be brought to the attention of a sheikh.”

Its sheer scale makes Al Barza an attraction in and of itself. It is the second-largest room in the palace, after the adjacent Great Hall.

Abu Dhabi’s presidential palace, Qasr Al Watan, or the Palace of the Nation, was completed in 2017 and opened in 2019. It explores the UAE's history and traditions through a vast collection of cultural artefacts, art and rare manuscripts.

The political and faith leaders who have visited include the Pope Francis, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin. Qasr Al Watan has also hosted multiple UAE cabinet meetings. The latest one was held on May 6 was chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

Visitors who take a guided tour of Qasr Al Watan or make use of the multimedia headsets on offer can learn more about the traditional role of majlises, which are “designated spaces for cultural, political and social gatherings that embody the spirit of participatory politics in the UAE”.

The Power of Words sculptures by Emirati artist Mattar bin Lahej were unveiled at Qasr Al Watan at 2019. The series of three sculptures was inspired by the words of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father of the UAE. A golden one is located inside, off the Great Hall, while two silver sculptures can be found in the garden.

Tours of Qasr Al Watan

To enhance the visitor experience at Abu Dhabi’s Qasr Al Watan, self-guided tours were made available in English, Arabic, German, Russian and Chinese in March last year. Visitors can rent a multimedia guide and headset at the palace’s ticketing booth.

Qasr Al Watan at Al Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi, is open daily from 11am-8pm; children's entry from Dh30, adult entry from Dh65