- Address: 21, Bahla, Oman
- Phone: +968 22 088002
- Website: omanwhs.gov.om
- Working hours: daily 9: 00-16: 00
Bakhla fortress is located in Oman , in the eastern part of the oasis of the same name, and towers over the whole city. It is the oldest of the surviving forts on the entire Arabian Peninsula. It was built in the XIII century, although the exact year of completion is unknown.
History of the fortress Bahla
Bakhla fortress is located in Oman , in the eastern part of the oasis of the same name, and towers over the whole city. It is the oldest of the surviving forts on the entire Arabian Peninsula. It was built in the XIII century, although the exact year of completion is unknown.
History of the fortress Bahla
The erection of fortification structures from clay was not characteristic of the Arab tribes either at that time or after, therefore the fort of Bakhla is considered unique. It is built on a stone foundation, but the walls themselves are built of clay bricks. Altitude of the towers is 50 m, and the fortress wall - 12 m. Despite the seeming fragility of the material, the fortress made of adobe brick perfectly performed its protective functions and survived to this day.
The erection of the fort is dated to the 13th century, to the reign of the powerful Arab tribe of Banu Nebhan. After the completion of the construction, the rulers moved the capital of Oman to Bacchus, and themselves began to live inside the fortifications in the royal palace. Gradually, they added protection to the region by fortresses in Nizwa and Rustak .
The fortress of Bahla today
Ancient fort is considered one of the main attractions of the country . Unfortunately, in the rich in the events of the XX century. about the fortress in Bakhle, the authorities of Oman forgot, and it gradually collapsed under the influence of heat and winds. Since 1987, it is under the protection of UNESCO, which allowed finding an opportunity for complete restoration. The Sultan has allocated about $ 9 million for restoration works, and by the beginning of the XXI century. This made it possible to withdraw the fort from the category of endangered world cultural sites.
Restorative work has been carried out in Bakhle for more than 20 years and can not be completed in any way. Because of this, among the locals there is a legend about the genies, which hinder this. This assumption arose, among other things, because European specialists and archaeologists worked on the construction, and they found interesting evidence about the life of other epochs. As a result, the sultan decided to abandon the services of Europeans in the restoration of the fortress.
What to see?
The area of the fortifications is so great that it takes at least an hour to walk along the perimeter of the walls, and to study the whole ensemble - at least half a day.
The city wall is interesting not only for its protective functions, but also for the irrigation system and for supplying water for the oasis. Special pipes and collecting pits for collecting rain and groundwater are located inside the walls, and walking along them, one can see locks that led water into the city.
Inside the fortress there was a small town in which sultans lived in the palm groves in their palace. In addition to the royal chambers, there was a market inside, houses of courtiers, barracks of soldiers guarding the walls and baths for local residents.
How to get to the fortress of Bahla?
From anywhere in the city of Bahla, you can reach the fort by bus. If there is no desire to wait for him in the heat, then you can take a taxi, which, like in any tourist center, very much. For those who prefer their own or rented car , in front of the fort there is a parking lot designed for a large number of cars.