Nizwa & Bahla Fort

5km north of Muscat lies Nizwa, the second most visited city in Oman. Located in the Ad Dakhilyah region, this ancient city offers a glimpse of what Oman was like in the ninth century. Classic examples of Omani architecture stand with modern buildings completed with the same traditional character, showcasing the modernization of Nizwa. 

Nizwa Fort is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Oman. The oldest part of the fort was built by Imam Al Sult bin Malik Al Kharusi in the ninth century to defend the city’s trading route. This historic building has seven wells, a prosecution ground, a number of prisons and Omani defense mechanisms such as honey traps. The most iconic feature is the a cylindrical tower which is known to be the largest in Oman.  

Balha, also known as Madinat al-Sehr – the City of Magic, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated 200km from Muscat and 40km from Niwza. Once the capital of Oman, Bahla is one of the Sultanates oldest towns and home to myths of magic and sorcery. The city was ruled by Banu Nebhan tribe from the 12th-15th Century and is considered the oldest settlement in Oman. The tribe mastered the Falaj system, the ancient Omani practice of transporting water from natural sources to agricultural areas where crops were grown. These water engineering skills resulted in the city becoming a desert oasis famed for its agriculture and pottery.

The fort in Balha is one of the most historic sites in Oman, and parts of the structure date back to the third millennium BC. This Islamic medieval fort is the biggest in Oman, and contains many towers, mosques and wells. The Bahla Wall extends an impressive 12km and was built to protect the city. Restoration work is ongoing to preserve this iconic piece of Omani history.