KUWAIT: Kuwait Municipality plans to bring the spirit of Souq Al-Mubarakiya to the historical Red Palace in Jahra, Project Director Rawan Al-Dhafiri told KUNA. The palace, which is of great historical significance to Kuwait, has been the center of restoration efforts helmed by a team of experts under the supervision of Kuwait’s National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters. The palace was built in 1897 to protect Al-Jahra and gains some of its significance for being the location of the Jahra Battle in 1920. Special events are planned at the Red Palace for Kuwait’s national holidays in February 2025, the Standing Committee for National Holidays and Occasions said last August.

Dhafiri said Kuwait Municipality is planning to create a park and a heritage market on an area of 470,000 square meters adjacent to the palace to the north. Additionally, the municipality aims to enhance the nearby agricultural land, which has been allocated to them by a decision from the municipal council. The park, which will include a farmer’s market, is an attempt to preserve the plants surrounding the palace. The project will also feature a poetry library, an outdoor theater, workshops, and booths for small and medium enterprises, along with dedicated spaces for children.

The southern part of the project will host a heritage market reminiscent of Souq Al-Mubarakiya, with designs reflecting Kuwaiti heritage, including a gold market, a dates market, and a clothing market, as well as a large stage for events.

Regarding parking availability for visitors, Al-Dhafiri confirmed the municipality’s attention to government requirements, including those from the Ministry of Interior, which has set conditions for entrances and exits. She explained that the municipality will discuss this with investors after conducting a comprehensive traffic study to ensure no traffic congestion in the area.

The Red Palace village project will be developed in partnership with the private sector, with the state not incurring any financial costs, and it will be tendered through a bidding system. The pre-qualification process for the project will continue until November 26, after which the evaluation and qualification study procedures will take place from November 27 to December 26, leading to the announcement of results between January 5 and January 19 of the upcoming year.