We Love Oman: Ibri, a delight for history buffs

Oman Tuesday 25/January/2022 21:50 PM
By: Times News Service
We Love Oman: Ibri, a delight for history buffs

Ibri is known for its archeological landmarks including forts, castles, and towers.

Ibri Castle was built 400 years ago, is located in the centre of Ibri, adjacent to its old market, in A'Dhahirah Governorate.According to Oman's Ministry of Tourism, "This castle contains an old-style mosque, characterised by its roof made of compressed gravel. The castle contains four gates: Sabah Al Hara, Sabah Al Barzah, Sabah Al Sinsilah and Sabah Al Awsat. The mosque on its western side is the castle’s most important feature and occupies a large area."The mosque is one of the oldest mosques and the castle has many gates.

Al Sulaif is another castle located in Ibri, Al Dhahirah Governorate. It was built by Al Emam Sultan bin Saif Al Yarubi. It consists of several buildings and houses surrounded by a wall with high towers, a mosque, a well, and falaj, which passes below the castle.

There are the remains of the town of Bat, which is the second archaeological site to be classified by UNESCO on the list of world heritage and culture sites.

According to Oman’s Ministry of Tourism: “A must-see attraction in the Al Dhahirah region, the Al Ayn and Bat Beehive Tombs are not only recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also boast the title of the most complete collection of necropolises and settlements in the world, dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. More than 100 tombs stand definitely on the hilltops of Northern Oman, all shaped like beehives. Little is known about the tombs, or the culture that constructed them, but they are thought to date from 3000 to 2000 BCE.