{{Short description| Amusement park in Bahrain}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} thumb|Adhari park entrance, 2023. '''Adhari Park''' is an amusement park located in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is named after the nearby historic freshwater spring known locally as '''Ain Adhari''' ({{langx|ar|عين عذاري}}).
==Park history== The park is located south of the town of Bilad Al Qadeem and west of the Zinj district of the Bahraini capital Manama. It is positioned alongside the Shaikh Isa Bin Salman highway which connects southern Manama westbound to central Bahrain and ending at the King Fahd Causeway to Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Month |first1=Bahrain This |title=Adhari Park |url=https://bahrainthismonth.com/venue/parks/adhari-park |website=bahrainthismonth.com |access-date=6 April 2026 |language=en}}</ref> The area surrounding the spring being first remodeled in 2003 at a cost of 600,000 Bahraini dinars.<ref name="Al A'ali">{{cite news |last1=Al A'ali |first1=Mohammed |title=Plan to breathe new life into theme park sought |url=https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1315843 |access-date=6 April 2026 |work=www.gdnonline.com |agency=Gulf Daily News |date=5 December 2017}}</ref> Further renovation work in the 2000s costing 15 million Bahraini dinars ($22 million) was completed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Adhari Park: Why is it one of the must-visit sites in Bahrain? |url=https://www.modernaustralian.com/holidays-travel/3162-adhari-park-why-is-it-one-of-the-must-visit-sites-in-bahrain |website=Modern Australian |access-date=6 April 2026 |language=en-gb |date=28 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="AlAali2">{{cite news |last1=Al A'ali |first1=Mohammed |title=Bahrain News: Theme park and authorities reach out-of-court debt deal |url=https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/293986/Theme-park-and-authorities-reach-out-of-court-debt-deal |access-date=6 April 2026 |work=www.gdnonline.com |agency=Gulf Daily News |date=16 November 2017}}</ref> It opened to the public in April 2008 and covers an area of 165,000 square meters.<ref name="test">{{cite web|url=https://adharipark.com.bh/about-us/|title=About Us|website=Adhari Park|access-date=December 18, 2023}}</ref> It has 8 outdoor and indoor rides for people of all ages, a Family Entertainment Centre, a food outlet at the Food Court, a dine-in restaurant, multiple coffee shops, and 1200 parking spaces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bahraintourism.com/default.asp?action=article&id=248|title=Adhari Park|website=Bahrain Tourism|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309160543/http://www.bahraintourism.com/default.asp?action=article&id=248|archive-date=March 9, 2012}}</ref>
In 2009, the park reported 800,000 visitors since its opening. <ref>{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://adharipark.com.bh/about-us/ |website=Adhari Park |access-date=6 April 2026}}</ref>
In the 2010s, the park developed debts exceeding 900,000 Bahraini dinars in municipal and rental fees. This was partly blamed in the aftermath of the 2011 Bahrain unrest which saw a decline in visitors to the park in the years that followed, a trend that was observed in the tourism sector overall at the time. An out of court settlement was achieved in 2017 between the Adhari Park Development Company which manages the park and the Capital Trustees Authority. <ref name="AlAali2"/> The park temporarily closed in September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as it was unable to pay 34,000 Bahraini dinars in outstanding electricity and water bills. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-12 |title='ADHARI PARK A POWERLESS RIDE' {{!}} THE DAILY TRIBUNE {{!}} KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN |url=https://www.newsofbahrain.com/bahrain/65827.html |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=DT News |language=en-US}}</ref> thumb|The Adhari spring, {{circa|1940s}}.
==Adhari Spring== '''Adhari Spring''' is a freshwater spring that is regarded as the largest in Bahrain<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-12-05 |title=Bahrain News: Historic natural spring park reopens to public |url=https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1319240/Historic-natural-spring-park-reopens-to-public |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=www.gdnonline.com}}</ref>; it had been mentioned in Bahraini folklore for at least 800 years, with historians believing it being much older. <ref name="Al A'ali"/> One myth states the spring was founded by a girl searching for water although other folklore exist.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Ayoub |first=By Rami |date=2019-07-25 |title=Legendary spring to be brought to life |url=https://gulfnews.com/uae/legendary-spring-to-be-brought-to-life-1.397446 |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=Gulf News: Latest UAE news, Dubai news, Business, travel news, Dubai Gold rate, prayer time, cinema |language=en}}</ref>
The spring is traditionally a site for recreation amongst Bahraini families with its cool waters, and its natural channels were historically used as a washing site for clothes prior to the widespread use of laundry machines.<ref name=":0" /> It fell into disrepair by the early 2000s with its stagnant waters leading to the proliferation of algae and moss, and the spring itself drying out alongside its channels.<ref name=":0" />
The spring was re-developed in 2006 into a modern swimming pool but was plagued with persistent structural issues such as tile damage, water seepage and crack formations. The spring was closed in early 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bahrain and has yet to be re-opened as of January 2026. <ref>{{cite news |title=Efforts to turn Ain Adhari into leisure hub underway |url=https://gdnlife.com/Home/ArticleDetail?ArticleId=74459&category=10 |access-date=6 April 2026 |work=www.gdnlife.com |language=en}}</ref>
== See also == *Tourist attractions in Bahrain
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links== * [https://adharipark.com.bh/ Official website]
{{Coord|26.1985264|50.5454798|display=title}}
Category:Entertainment venues in Bahrain Category:Tourism in Bahrain