Nakhl

Nakhal Fort is one of the most impressive fortifications in Oman. A castle that could be the protagonist of any Middle Eastern tale or legend. It is located on a rock and from its privileged height it observes the mountains and the palm groves that surround it. It was designed following the irregular contour of the rock and you can see in different areas of the fortress, how pieces of stone that form part of the structure of the building stand out. It is not known exactly when it was built, but it seems that it was in a time before the arrival of Islam in Oman. Throughout the centuries, Nakhal Fort has been expanded and restored several times. The largest restoration was carried out in the 17th century. Although Nakhal, by the mere fact of having the fortification, was never the capital of the country. At that time the fort served as a shelter for merchants and traders, who, like the Three Wise Men, transported myrrh, incense and spices on their way to Nizwa. A true work of engineering, surrounded by impressive walls and battlements. It has several levels, on the lower level there is a mosque, a courtyard with a well and a date warehouse. On the upper level there were the rooms, halls in which the wali (the governor) received his visitors, with rooms for women and others for men, summer and winter rooms, in addition, many of them are decorated to give an idea of what life in the fort was like in those times. As a good fortress, its main character was defensive and Nakhal Fort did not lack resources to repel enemy attacks. From the highest part of the fortress the view is exceptional. On one side, an extensive date palm grove, perhaps this palm grove is the reason for the name of the fort, since  Nakhal means “palm tree”. From the other side you can see the Al Akhdar mountain range, also called the green mountain.