Your Gateway To Oman

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Your Gateway To Oman

Forts

Forts and castles are Oman's most striking cultural landmarks and together with its towers and city walls, they have historically been used as defensive bastions or look-out points. Forts were often the seats of administrative and judicial authority. There are over 500 forts, castles and towers in Oman which has a coastline f 1,700kms, so they were needed to protect it from potential invaders. The architectural styles vary, being determined by the architects who built them or the periods in which they were built.

Jalali and Mirani which are among Oman's most famous forts stand at the entrance to the Muscat bay. Mirani, which was built before the arrival of the Portuguese, was originally shaped like a tower. Then in 1588 the Portuguese rebuilt it on the ruins of its old structure, adding replacements, stores, living quarters for the commander and a place of worship. The building was enlarged to its present size in the reign of Imam Ahmed bin Said, the founder of the Al Busaidi state in the 18th century and his grandson Sayyid Said bin Sultan , at the beigining of the 19th century.

The Portuguese completed their construction of Jalali Fort in 1587. Its present-day dates from the reign of Sayyid Said bin Sultan and this Fort was restored and converted into a museum in the reign of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

Rustaq Fort is amongst the oldest, is the tallest and is surrounded by watch towers.

Albuquerque in 107 described Sohar Fort as a 'a fortress of square shape, with six towers around it, having also over the gate tow very large towers'. The fort was so large that it then required over 1,000 men for its defence.

Bahla Fort's main feature is its 7 mile long walls which were patrolled by sentries night and day .The Forts internal staircases and walls were built of mud, coated with gypsum and sarooj ( a traditional type of mortar) which are as hard and solid as present-day cement. UNESCO has approved Bahla Fort and Wall for inclusion in its World Heritage List.

Nizwa Fort, built by Imam Sultan bin Saif al Ya'arubi in 1668, is the biggest fort in the Arabian Peninsula with an exterior diameter of its circular structure of 150 feet, and over 115 feet high.

Jabrin Fort was built by Imam Sultan bin Saif Al Ya'arubi in 1670 as a defensive stronghold and as a living accommodation for the Imam. It has rooms and ceilings decorated with the fine carvings. It has two huge towers with walls that are two meters thick.