The Al Qasimi Palace is perched on a quiet hill in Ras Al Khaimah's Al Dhait area. SUPPLIED

The infamous Al Qasimi Palace, known across the UAE as Ras Al Khaimah’s “haunted palace,” is now up for sale for Dh25 million. Current owner Tareq Ahmad Al Sharhan confirmed that the property is for sale but only Emiratis can buy it under Ras Al Khaimah’s regulations. Al Sharhan said that the reason he is selling the palace is “purely for investment”. “The palace carries great cultural and historical value, and I believe it deserves an owner who appreciates both,” he told Gulf News. Built in 1985 by the late Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Qasimi, the four-storey mansion was meant to be a royal residence. Instead, it became one of the UAE’s most talked-about landmarks, spanning 20,000 square metres. Inside are chandeliers from France and Belgium, Thassos marble floors, and a pyramid-shaped skylight that illuminates the grand central hall. For decades, the palace stood empty on a hill in Al Dhait, sparking ghost stories and earning the nickname “Palace of Ghosts”. The palace, now renamed Al Qasr Al Ghamedh (“The Palace of Ambiguity”), has been restored and reopened to visitors daily from 9am to 7pm. Interested buyers can contact 052 8282222.

Masterpiece left unoccupied

The sprawling palace boasts 35 rooms, Thassos marble floors, intricately painted ceilings, and chandeliers imported from France and Belgium. The architecture is a striking blend of Islamic, Moroccan, Persian, and Indian styles, capped by a glass pyramid roof that channels sunlight into the grand central hall. Yet for all its opulence, the palace was never lived in. Family members objected to the sculptures of humans and animals that adorned its halls — a detail that ultimately left the Sheikh’s creation deserted. Over time, as the palace sat empty, stories began to swirl: of flickering lights, echoing footsteps, and ghostly figures glimpsed through stained glass. Construction costs reportedly exceeded Dh500 million, a testament to its royal scale. Locals say even Benazir Bhutto, the late former Prime Minister of Pakistan, once expressed interest in buying it, though the Sheikh declined. When Al Sharhan acquired the property from the Sheikh’s heirs, he restored its faded beauty and reopened it to the public, inviting visitors to see for themselves what once fueled Ras Al Khaimah’s most enduring urban legend. Today, the palace remains open daily from 9am to 7pm, drawing curious tourists and residents alike. CAM/Expat Media
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