Abu Dhabi: The church and monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island, the only early Christian site yet discovered in the UAE, has reopened its doors to visitors following the implementation of conservation measures and site enhancements by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

The inauguration ceremony for the site was conducted by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Tolerance. The event was attended by Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, and Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, as well as conservators, archaeologists, heritage experts and clerics.

The Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery dates to the 7th and 8th centuries CE. It flourished well after Islam spread throughout the region.

The site was first discovered in 1992, during a survey undertaken with the permission of the late Sheikh Zayed, when the remains of several buildings, along with pottery and plaster fragments, were found on the east of the island. — Agencies