MIRANI FORT
Long closed to the public, Mirani Fort once protected Muscat's ancient port and guards the western entrance to the bay in which the sultan's palace, Qasr Alam Palace, is built. On the east side, just opposite, the imposing Al-Jalali citadel stands guard. Both bastions stand proudly on their respective rocky promontories and are now part of Oman's architectural heritage. Comprising two towers linked by a thick rampart, the Al-Jalali citadel is not open to visitors. Mirani Fort, on the other hand, has been completely renovated and opened to the public in 2024.
Some rooms house contemporary works and montages by local artists, while others display an interesting collection of antique weapons. But the visit is especially worthwhile for the exclusive panoramic views it offers from the various towers and staircases over the beauties of this part of Muscat: the sea, of course, and its rocky spurs, the ancient defensive buildings of the surrounding area, but also the architectural marvels of the old city - the palace and its gardens, the ministries, the vast, dazzling white patrician mansions, the National Museum of Oman, and so on.
The fort was built at the end of the 16th century during the Portuguese occupation on the ruins of an ancient citadel, and was the first in the country to make use of cannons. At nightfall, when the lighting enhances the old building, the views are less spectacular, but the visit gains in mystery.
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