A visit to Nizwa-Bahla-Jibreen_Forts in Oman.

Visited by Amol and MSR Family on Oct 14th, 2013

Oman declared a week long holiday for Eid-Al-Adha from Oct 14th to Oct 19th. So the MIMs decided to take a time off from the hectic daily schedule.

Harsh and Atul decided to fly to Srilanka to celebrate Vijayadashmi over there, Chirag opted to Stay at Home courtesy to ill health (Get well soon Dost). So it was left to Amol and Manoj on how to utilise this time in Oman. The follwing blog is written by Amol & Manoj.

We decided to cover three historical forts and castles in the ad dakhaliya region as our first outing in these holidays

We started at around 10:30 am from Al Khuwair with a parceled up yummy home made lunch (Thanks to Mrs. Raut) towards Nizwa, 170kms south west of Muscat.

Muscat to Nizwa

Nizwa is one of the oldest cities in Oman and was once the capital of Oman in 6th and 7th century AD ruled by the Yarubi family. It is situated in  Ad Dakhiliyah Region.The main tourist attractions in the city are Nizwa Fort, the traditional Souq etc.

Our first halt was at Nizwa fort and Nizwa Souq. The fort is open upto 4pm on weekdays. The entry fee for adults is 500 bz and 200bz for children between 6-12 age. The children must be accompanied by parents or atleast one adult. Nizwa fort was built in the 1668 A.D by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al Ya'rubi. It is Oman's most visited national monument. The fort was the administrative seat of authority for the presiding Imams and Walis in times of peace and conflict. The main bulk of the fort took about 12 years to complete and was built above an underground stream. The fort is a reminder of the town's significance through turbulent periods in Oman's long history. It was a formidable stronghold against raiding forces that desired Nizwa's abundant natural wealth and its strategic location at the crossroads of vital routes.

Entry ticket details

The fort layout

Manoj, Sonali & Riya

Amol, poor in Indian history but trying to master Oman History...

Rauts at Nizwa Fort, once the capital city of Oman ruled by the Yarubi Family

Attending the Halwa Workshop, Omani Halwa :-p

Then we visited Nizwa Souq which is adjacent to Nizwa Fort. The souq bustles with vendors selling everything from meat, fish, fruits and vegetables to spices, dates, gold and silverware. Nizwa is renowned for its silver jewelry which is considered to be the best in the country. Its people are masters in Khanjar making (curved dagger), recognised for its distinctive style and patterns. They also make copper ware, coffee pots, swords, leather goods and pottery.

The far end of the Nizwa Souq hosts a livestock market early each Friday morning. Local farmers bring their cows, goats and sheep to be inspected, auctioned and sold to the highest bidders. The scene is crowded and busy especially on the eve of Eid festivities.

Rauts at Nizwa Souq (Ye to duty free se bhi mehanga nikala!!)

Our next destination was the famous Bahla Fort which is about 40kms drive from Nizwa as shown in following google map-

Nizwa to Bahla

We had our lunch in a nice small garden situated on the RHS on the nizwa to bahla route. The garden is easily identifiable from a distance with its tree cover and amusement for children.

Sadly the fort was closed when we reached. Bahla fort is one of four historic fortresses situated at the foot of the jebel Akhdar highlands in Oman. It was built in the 13th and 14th centuries, when the oasis of Bahla was prosperous under the control of the Banu Nebhan tribe. The fort's ruined adobe walls and towers rise some 165 feet above its sandstone foundations. Nearby to the southwest is the Friday Mosque with a 14th-century sculpted mihrab. The fort was not restored or conserved before 1987, and had fallen into a parlous state, with parts of the walls collapsing each year in the rainy season.

Next to Bahla fort, blocking the beautiful scene in background, go away-------

Rauts with Bahla fort in the background, the umbrella came to Riya's rescue..it did rain for a while..Mumtaz

Our third and final destination was Jabreen castle which is about 7-10kms from Bahla fort on Ibri road as shown below.

Way to Jibreen castle from Bahla fort/town

The castle is open upto 4pm on weekdays. The entry fee for adults is 500 bz and 200bz for children between 6-12 age.

Jabreen Castle dates back to 1670. Its design and construction were supervised by the Al Immam BilArab bin Sultan Al Y`aribi (who now rests on the left side of the castle’s main entrance) and was built to resemble the most beautiful palaces of that period. This castle was a beautiful palace for the Immam and his family and a bastion during wartime. It was also a beacon of education and contained many study rooms.

The palace is a large rectangular building consisting of five floors and containing 55 rooms. A Falaj runs through the middle of the castle. This castle is distinguished by the inscriptions and frescoes that adorn its rooms. The castle’s ceilings are decorated with paintings and Islamic-era style inscriptions, and its doors are beautifully carved. All these architectural details make Jabreen Castle an authentic expression of Omani craftsmanship.

Jabreen Castle is divided into two parts: the first rises for sixteen metres and consists of two storeys, whereas the second part rises to twenty-two metres and consists of three storeys. The castle’s rooms are divided between these two sections. The most beautiful and unique of these rooms are:

The Sun and Moon Room: This was the room where the Immam met important visitors for discussions and consultations. What distinguishes this room are those icons and beautiful Islamic calligraphy adorning its ceiling, particularly the eye drawing. It contains 14 windows, seven of which are located at the top near the ceiling and seven are at the bottom. Here lies the secret of the room's cool atmosphere throughout the year, as when cold air enters from the lower windows, it expels the warm air from the top windows

Immam Protection Room: Another distinctive room in this palace. This room was built in a way that allows the Immam’s soldiers to hide underneath it for his protection when he wished to meet with any person he did not trust. There are four secret hideouts under the room connecting with each other.

Thats one for the album

This one too..got to admire the photographer..:)

On the way back to Muscat, we experienced heavy downpour upto Nizwa. Driving was a bit difficult but a very enjoyable one. The temp dropped from 32 to 21, which was a big reprieve from the scorching heat.