A feast for all five senses at the Palestinian pavilion

Visitors are taken on a tour of Jerusalem's Old City

Exhibits at the Palestine Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai are designed to evoke the sights, smells and sounds of Jerusalem. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

The first exhibit in the pavilion recreates the feel of the Old City of Jerusalem, with its narrow alleyways and decorative arches and screens.

Stone slabs have been imported from Jerusalem.

Visitors then take an atmospheric elevator ride that simulates rising high above the bustling streets of Jerusalem. AFP

Specially designed urns release the scents of flowers and fruits grown in Palestine.

The scents of roses, thyme and oranges are released by the urns, among others.

After the visuals, visitors are invited to touch items which evoke Palestine's exports, such as salt from the Dead Sea.

This aluminium piece is from Islam's third holiest site, the Al Aqsa Mosque, and the Dome of the Rock, a seventh-century structure believed to be where the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven.

Photos illustrating traditional Palestinian dishes on display at the Palestine pavilion.

Visitors watching the virtual reality show at the Palestine pavilion.

An immersive visual experience illustrating a traditional Palestinian feast is the final exhibit of the pavilion.

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The sights, smells and sounds of Jerusalem are showcased at the Palestinian pavilion, which has opened to visitors at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Augmented reality goggles and scent-releasing urns evoke the atmosphere of the country, and an immersive visual experience mimics a traditional Palestinian feast.

The first exhibit in the pavilion recreates the feel of Old City of Jerusalem, with its narrow alleyways and decorative arches and screens. Stone slabs imported from the city complete the effect.

Illuminated pictures illustrate the busy bazaars where Palestinians make a living selling textiles and souvenirs, and where many bakeries sell the popular local bread.

One of the tour guides said the purpose of the exhibit was to transport the visitor to a regular Jerusalem street scene.

“It's very normal when you're walking there to see a synagogue or church or a mosque because the three religions are constantly present,” she said.

“The streets are very narrow and that's because they're very old and very historic streets.

“These streets saw Prophet Jesus and Prophet Mohammed walking there, and many other scenes.”

Visitors then take an atmospheric elevator ride that simulates rising high above the bustling streets of Jerusalem.

Once on the “rooftop” a video shows the culture and creativity of the Palestinian people, including glass blowing, textile weaving and basket work.

After the visuals, visitors are invited to touch items which evoke Palestine's exports, such as salt from the Dead Sea, before moving into a spaces devoted to sight and smell.

Here, specially designed urns release the scent of flowers and fruits grown in Palestine, such as roses and oranges, and reality goggles provide tours of key sights from the Old City.

The final exhibit is an immersive visual experience illustrating a traditional feast, which whets the appetite of the visitor, before they conveniently discover the restaurant Mama-esh on the way out of the pavilion.

The eatery serves traditional Palestinian food, and already has six branches open in Dubai. but is likely to offer traditional manaesh flatbreads baked in an authentic wood fired stone oven.

Highlights from Day 4 of Expo 2020 Dubai