View of Old Muscat

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Al Mirani Fort

Muscat


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 large over the harbour and contributes to the iconic view of Muscat captured in 19th-century lithographs.

Al Mirani Fort has a special place in history as it contributed to the fall of the Portuguese. This came about through a curious affair of the heart: legend has it that the Portuguese commander fell for the daughter of a Hindu supplier, who refused the match on religious grounds. On being threatened with ruin, the supplier spent a year apparently preparing for the wedding during which time he worked an elaborate trick on the commander, convincing him that the fort’s supplies needed a complete overhaul. Bit by bit he removed all the fort's gunpowder and grain, and when the fort was left completely defenceless, he gave the nod to the Omani imam, Sultan Bin Saif, who succeeded in retaking the fort in 1649. The Portuguese were ousted from Muscat soon after, and the wedding never took place.


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1. Sultan’s Palace

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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. Omani-French Museum

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

3. Al Jalali Fort

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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…

4. Bait Al Zubair

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5. National Museum

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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…

6. Muscat Gate Museum

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7. Kalbuh Bay Park

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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…

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