Travel Oman: The old-world charm of Nizwa

Oman Monday 09/September/2019 20:44 PM
By: Times News Service

The ancient capital of Oman, Nizwa has long been regarded fondly by Omanis, with foreign nationals who come to the country also appreciating the city for what it represents. Nizwa is a town best-known for blending old-world charm with modern-day construction. As a city that dates back centuries, it is not uncommon to see paved, tarmacked roads twist their way around watchtowers that are more than a few hundred years old.
One of the main attractions of the city is of course, Nizwa Fort, an impressive construct under whose shadow the major part of old Nizwa lies. In the olden days, it served as a bastion for noblemen and peasantry alike to take shelter from raiders and bandits who attempted to plunder the countryside.
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The main building of the fort – built in a near-perfect circle – was famed for its impressive battery of cannons, which had been installed to ward off the enemy, doing so by not just thinning their numbers, but dampening their morale as well. The fort also contained a barracks to house a permanently stationed garrison, as well as an arsenal where weapons were stored, should they be needed.
Today, the fort has been painstakingly restored to its former glory, with those who’ve overseen its renovation ensuring that none of the history of Nizwa has been lost, while putting up many installations that tell the tale of the fort and the city that grew around it, in the form of videos, pictographs and even artefacts from eras gone by.
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According to the Ministry of Tourism, the city of Nizwa is the regional centre of Al Dakhiliya Governorate. It lies around 164 kilometres from the capital Muscat. Nizwa lies at the foot of Al Jabal Al Akhdar to the south, amongst the mountains that form its walls. The city is full of rivers, orchards and palm trees towering amidst a balmy atmosphere. This clement weather has made a number of scholars and holy and free men claim Nizwa their hometown, giving it the name ‘the courtyard of Islam’.
Nizwa city is famous for its history, culture, origins and heritage and the traditional industries and handicrafts our forefathers have known and excelled in as a means of livelihood, says the Ministry of Tourism.