Nakhal Fort
was the first 'real fort' we explored in Oman. WOW, did we have fun!
Breck was all excited about the canon and jail cells, while Alea and mom
were all about resting on the luxurious carpets strewn around. The
views of the surrounding oasis are lovely- we understood immediately why
these forts were so important in Oman - who wouldn't defend these centers
of trade and production?
Built on the foundations
of a pre-Islamic structure, the towers and entrance way of this fort were
constructed during the reign of Imam Said bin Sultan in 1834. The
windows in the fort are perfectly aligned to catch every breeze, even in
summer.
There are many
features to look for: gaps where boiling cauldrons of honey would have
hinged over doorways, spiked doors to repel battering, round towers to
deflect cannon balls, and falaj in case of siege. The entire structure
is built around a rock - a common feature of Omani forts, which saves the
problem of having to construct sound foundations (Lonely Planet pg. 231).
One of our favorite
things about Omani forts was being able to explore every nook and cranny.
After another year in an apartment in Mumbai (gag), we needed to get out
and stretch our muscles- and we did! We climbed, ducked, scooted,
crawled, clambered and forayed all over these forts. Wonderful!
