Hilltop Palace Unlived In For 35 Years Earns Name 'The Haunted Palace'

RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE — On a hill in Ras Al Khaimah stands a grand residence that locals and travellers alike have come to know as Al Qasr Al Ghamedh, or the Haunted Palace, according to a listing on Atlas Obscura.

The listing states that the building, formally called Al Qasimi Palace, was commissioned by the late Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Qasimi. Construction began in 1975 and, the entry says, took years to complete. Though it was designed as a private home, it remained largely unoccupied for around 35 years.

It was during that long quiet, the entry suggests, that stories began to spread. The listing does not describe any particular apparition, sound or incident. It notes only that tales of haunting accumulated over the years and that the palace now holds a reputation as the emirate's haunted palace. Readers may draw their own conclusions about what an empty mansion on a hill tends to inspire.

The building's fortunes changed in 2019, when, according to the source, it was purchased and restored. Visitors may now explore 35 rooms furnished with ornate pieces, sculptures, antiques, chandeliers and artwork. Many of the original tile murals and paintings have reportedly been preserved, with damaged works restored.

Among its most striking features, the listing says, is a grand glass pyramid decorated with paintings of the 12 zodiac signs. No mention is made of whether any resident of the other world has offered an opinion on the restoration.