Wonderful Oman: Nizwa Fort
Oman is often overlooked in favour of its richer, grander neighbours, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Unlike its neighbors however, Oman is a nation where culture and history have not been forgotten. This does not mean development has been forsaken. Driving down a pristine four lane highway it is hard to believe that in 1970 the country had just 10 kilometres of paved road.
On my week long trip to Oman I spent several days in the charming capital Muscat before heading to Oman's interior. There I visited a desert camp in the Wahiba Sands, as well as spending a few days in the historic town of Nizwa.
In the 1940's, British explorer Wilfred Thesiger was told by his Bedouin guides that if he entered the town of Nizwa he would never come out due to its exceptional conservatism. Today, Nizwa is the hub for tourism in the interior of Oman. As I pulled up to the Nizwa Fort, I was struck by the enormity of the parking lot, and the lack of cars parked in it. A foreign couple got into their car and drove away, leaving our car and one tourism van as the only vehicles left. I walked passed two men in dishdashas, the long usually white gown that is the Omani men's national dress, and entered the souq. It was a quiet, cozy place populated only by the shopkeepers and a few British and German tourists. The ancient, narrow streets were lined with shops selling silver, khanjars (traditional Omani daggers), and pottery. The shopkeepers sat deep in their shops, leaving you free to poke around each shop without feeling the obligation to buy anything.
After half an hour of exploring, and a delicious ice cold lime soda, I walked up the cobblestoned street to the Nizwa Fort. Dating from the 15th century, this grand fort took twelve years to complete and was the administrative seat of the Imamate of Oman. Entering through the cannon guarded gate one encounters a beautiful, quiet courtyard. Above is the most imposing feature of the fort, a 30 meter high cylindrical sandstone tower. A maze of staircases and passageways surround the tower. I wandered up a steep spiral staircase, looking for the holes and shafts through which the castle guards would have poured boiling date syrup in order to burn invaders. The fort was full of architectural tricks and obstacles including secret tunnels, dead ends, and heavy doors with spikes designed to confuse and tire any invaders. The staircase lead up the massive tower and treated me to a stunning 360 degree view over Nizwa and the beautiful date oasis surrounding it. Though it provides stunning views, this tower was built for a purpose. Its imposing height and comanding views mean that any suprise attack on nizwa would be almost impossible.
The Nizwa area was of great interest to the different sultans and imams due to its location as a midpoint between the frankincense capital of the world, Dhofar, and Muscat, Oman's capital and one of the Arabian Gulf's most important ports. Nizwa is also the main producer of dates in Oman, with the date palms providing an alluring backdrop for the town. There is no shortage of things to do near Nizwa. I explored an abandoned village on huge, steep hill in the surrounding Al Hajar mountains before dropping by the charming Jabreen Castle with its elegant wooden balconies.
On my week long trip to Oman I spent several days in the charming capital Muscat before heading to Oman's interior. There I visited a desert camp in the Wahiba Sands, as well as spending a few days in the historic town of Nizwa.
In the 1940's, British explorer Wilfred Thesiger was told by his Bedouin guides that if he entered the town of Nizwa he would never come out due to its exceptional conservatism. Today, Nizwa is the hub for tourism in the interior of Oman. As I pulled up to the Nizwa Fort, I was struck by the enormity of the parking lot, and the lack of cars parked in it. A foreign couple got into their car and drove away, leaving our car and one tourism van as the only vehicles left. I walked passed two men in dishdashas, the long usually white gown that is the Omani men's national dress, and entered the souq. It was a quiet, cozy place populated only by the shopkeepers and a few British and German tourists. The ancient, narrow streets were lined with shops selling silver, khanjars (traditional Omani daggers), and pottery. The shopkeepers sat deep in their shops, leaving you free to poke around each shop without feeling the obligation to buy anything.
After half an hour of exploring, and a delicious ice cold lime soda, I walked up the cobblestoned street to the Nizwa Fort. Dating from the 15th century, this grand fort took twelve years to complete and was the administrative seat of the Imamate of Oman. Entering through the cannon guarded gate one encounters a beautiful, quiet courtyard. Above is the most imposing feature of the fort, a 30 meter high cylindrical sandstone tower. A maze of staircases and passageways surround the tower. I wandered up a steep spiral staircase, looking for the holes and shafts through which the castle guards would have poured boiling date syrup in order to burn invaders. The fort was full of architectural tricks and obstacles including secret tunnels, dead ends, and heavy doors with spikes designed to confuse and tire any invaders. The staircase lead up the massive tower and treated me to a stunning 360 degree view over Nizwa and the beautiful date oasis surrounding it. Though it provides stunning views, this tower was built for a purpose. Its imposing height and comanding views mean that any suprise attack on nizwa would be almost impossible.
The Nizwa area was of great interest to the different sultans and imams due to its location as a midpoint between the frankincense capital of the world, Dhofar, and Muscat, Oman's capital and one of the Arabian Gulf's most important ports. Nizwa is also the main producer of dates in Oman, with the date palms providing an alluring backdrop for the town. There is no shortage of things to do near Nizwa. I explored an abandoned village on huge, steep hill in the surrounding Al Hajar mountains before dropping by the charming Jabreen Castle with its elegant wooden balconies.
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