Al Jalali Fort

Muscat


Guarding the entrance to the harbour to the east, Al Jalali Fort was built during the Portuguese occupation in the 1580s on Arab foundations. The fort is accessible only via a steep flight of steps. As such, it made the perfect prison for a number of years, but now it is a museum of Omani heritage. Admission is strictly by permit only – apply to the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture, through the contact page on the ministry website.

During palace military occasions, bagpipers perform from the fort battlements, and the royal dhow and yacht are sailed in full regalia into the harbour. With fireworks reflected in the water, it makes a spectacular sight.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Muscat attractions

1. Sultan’s Palace

0.2 MILES

If you stand by the harbour wall on Mirani St, the building to the right with the delightful mushroom pillars in blue and gold is the Sultan’s Palace. On…

2. Al Mirani Fort

0.27 MILES

Sixteenth-century Al Mirani Fort was built by the Portuguese at the same time as nearby Al Jalali Fort. Although closed to the public, its presence looms…

3. Omani-French Museum

0.39 MILES

With galleries detailing relations between the two countries, this museum provides an interesting snapshot of mostly 19th-century colonial life in Muscat…

4. National Museum

0.43 MILES

Housed in an imposing new building in the heart of Old Muscat, the National Museum makes a fitting consort for the Sultan's Palace opposite. The emphasis…

5. Bait Al Zubair

0.53 MILES

In a beautifully restored house, this much-loved privately owned museum exhibits Omani heritage in thematic displays of traditional handicrafts, furniture…

6. Muscat Gate Museum

0.68 MILES

Straddling the road between the Corniche and the old walled city, this museum, with the original gates used until the 1970s to keep land-bound marauders…

7. Kalbuh Bay Park

0.91 MILES

Kalbuh Bay Park juts into a sea that's boiling with sardines. Located at the end of the Corniche, it makes a good pausing place on a hike between Mutrah…

8. Al Riyam Park

1.26 MILES

Beyond Mutrah Fort, the Corniche leads to the leafy Al Riyam Park, with fine views of the harbour from the giant ornamental incense burner. There is a…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "oman/muscat/attractions/al-jalali-fort/a/poi-sig/451841/361117",
      "destination": "Muscat",
      "continent": "Middle-East",
      "country": "Oman",
      "city": "Muscat",
      "position": "superzone"
    }