Omani Forts

Fort Jalali

Has a formidable wall around it and access is only possible from the harbor side, up a steep flight of steps. No longer used as a prison, it has been completely renovated and is used as a museum of Omani heritage and culture for visiting heads of state and royalty. Neither fort is normally open to the public.

Fort Mirani

The western fort, like its twin Fort Jalali-the eastern fort at the other side of the harbor, was not the first fortification on the site. The rocky hilltops were strategically important long before the Portuguese became active in the area. However, both these present day forts were rebuilt by the Portuguese. Fort Mirani was completed in 1587 and still has the remains of a chapel, complete with a receptacle for holy water built into the wall. If you look over the harbor wall from the entrance to the fort you can see the name of visiting ships painted on the rocks beneath Fort Jalali.

Bait Fransa

The museum was originally built around 160 years ago as a residence for Ghaliya Bint –Salim Bin Sultan, a niece of the ruler Sultan Said Bin –Sultan. The house is delightful tall building built around a courtyard and reflecting a mixture of Arabic and Indian styles.The ceilings, constructed of wooden beams with palm coverings, complement the arched windows with their delicate lattice plasterwork. The wooden window screens open in sections to control ventilation and sunlight