Blog 8 - Bahla and Jabreen Castle

Bahla and Jabreen Castle

Today we first visit Bahla - mainly because of its gigantic fort - the largest in Oman - known.

First, we pass through the city gate from the latest time - actually a senseless and non-functional building, this kind of gate can now be found in many larger Omani cities. We also pass by the local Sultan Qaboos Mosque - now also found in almost every city. If not known, Sultan Qaboos led Oman from medieval times to modern times after the overthrow of his father in 1970, he died in 2020, but is still highly respected and revered by the population.

Soon we also see the Hisn Tamah fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site, begun in the 17th century and accessible again since 2014 after about 10 years of renovation. Inside, the many buildings, like in most Omani fortresses, are almost completely bare and empty.

On the way to Jabreen Castle, we stop at an OMANOIL petrol station, where refuelling is still fun at a price of EUR 0.53 per liter of unleaded petrol, although the price has more than doubled since our first trip to Oman in 2014.

The Jabreen Castle is different from the usual forts in Oman and is therefore a "must-see" for every Oman traveller. On the one hand, it was primarily a residential castle and not used for military purposes, and on the other hand, it is in excellent condition after the comprehensive renovation in 1984 and (as one of the few buildings from this period) is also richly equipped with traditional objects and antique furniture from medieval Oman. The castle was built in the 17th century by Bilarub bin Sultan and, after he was elected Imam (ruler) of Inner Oman in 1688, declared the capital. Due to the succession disputes in the Imamate, Jabreen quickly lost this function and sank into insignificance.

Today we are visiting Bahla and the Jabreen Castle

Bahla Fort is the biggest in Oman and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After 10 years of reconstruction, it has been open to visitors again since 2014.

Jabreen Castle is one of the top tourist destinations in Oman. Built in the 17th century, it was the residential castle of Imam Bilarub bin Sultan after 1688, but only for a short period of time. After extensive reconstruction work, not only is the building in excellent condition, but there is also a lot of ancient furniture to be seen in the rooms - different from the other forts, which are mostly empty.