Bab Al Bahrain

Bab Al Bahrain  means Gateway of Bahrain. It is located in the Customs Square in Manama's former central business district (CBD) and marks the main entrance to the Manama souq. Designed by Sir Charles Belgrave, adviser to the Emir and completed in 1945, Bab Al Bahrain once stood close to the water's edge. Due to extensive land reclamation in the later years, one needs to walk more than 10 minutes to get to the sea.

Government Avenue, which runs alongside Bab Al Bahrain, and the new highway that leads to the causeway to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were built on reclaimed land. Currently, the Bahrain Financial Harbor is being constructed on further reclaimed land.

The monument itself was refurbished in 1986 to incorporate Islamic architectural features. Today, the ground floor now houses the tourist information office and a handicrafts shop. The monument essentially consists of a huge arch, below which runs a road, which is often referred to as the entrance to the Manama souq.