Bahla Fort Travel Guide
Travel to Bahla Fort - UNESCO-listed Fort
- Ratings:
- Be the first to rate this.
-
Reviews:
-
Be the first to write a review
Oman has more than 900 forts of one sort or another for the keen explorer of military architecture to discover, but those of us with a more casual interest tend to take in two or three, one of which must be the amazing fort at Bahla. The Omanis view it as their most significant fort and it is without doubt the country’s oldest fortification. Restoration is ongoing as it has been since 1993 so a visit must be seen in that context however work continues apace and a visit is essential if in the Nizwa area.
Construction on the site of Bahla Fort dates back to 1000 BCE making it one of the world’s oldest forts. The remains of the buildings we see today are believed to date to the pre-Islamic era, constructed by the Persians more than 1,400 years ago. It stands on a huge sandstone rock and totally dominates the area.
Built of stones, mudbricks, palm trunks, straw, dung and plaster the 7-mile/11km long walls had 15 entrances and 132 towers of which only 6 remain. The weather has over the years taken it toll despite 3 separate attempts at reconstruction in 830, 1624 and lastly in 1868. The present works have been ongoing by a Moroccan team since 1993 and the original ruins have been as faithfully rebuilt as possible using archaeological evidence and old photographs.
UNESCO inscribed the fort in 1987 saying, ‘The oasis of Bahla owes its prosperity to the Banu Nebhan, the dominant tribe in the area from the 12th to the end of the 15th century. The ruins of the immense fort, with its walls and towers of unbaked brick and its stone foundations, is a remarkable example of this type of fortification and attests to the power of the Banu Nebhan’.
It is interesting to note that the method of working with earth is still prevalent in the Bahla area: Bahla is today most famous for its potters whose dome-shaped kilns can be seen nearby and are worth a visit.
Activities in Bahla Fort
A visit to the fort should take around an hour with a little more time needed if the potteries will be visited.
Relaxing
After exploring the fort wander around the photogenic pottery workshops haggling over purchases – there are some good deals to be struck.
Getting Around
Bahla is 28km from Nizwa and can be visited either by taxi from there or at leisure if you have your own transport or are including the town on a wider sightseeing itinerary.
Bahla Fort Reviews
Why not be the first and add your review below?
