To celebrate the heritage of the country, Sheikhs Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab Emirates) and Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces) decided to open the palace to the public in 2019. Prior to its opening, the palace was used only for official purposes, Mainly hosting foreign leaders of state, and for meetings of the country’s supreme council and the federal cabinet. Even after being opened to the public, the palace continues to be used for these purposes. The palace was opened to the public on the 11th of March 2019, in a ceremony hosted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai). In August, the palace was named by the travel and tourism website of Hotel and Rest among the top 20 landmarks of art and culture in the World. In 2020, the Qasr Al Watan Presidential Palace was nominated for the World Travel Awards as the main cultural tourist attraction in the Middle East. With a façade made of white granite and limestone, the mainly white palace is intricately designed and ornately decorated. It includes a dome with a diameter of 37 m (121 ft), a chandelier with 350,000 pieces of crystal, and a number of compartments. The dome is located on top of the central chamber known as “The Great Hall”, which is surrounded by two wings to the east and west.