Friday 15 / November / 2024
Liwa: Oman is famous for many tourist attractions in its various governorates.
There are tall towers, castles and fortresses, which are unique in design and construction, as well as various terrain of mountains, rocks, hills, valleys and deserts with golden sands and attractive beaches.
The Wilayat of Liwa in the Governorate of North Al Batinah is one of the wilayats of the Sultanate, which is famous for tourist attractions of stunning views, Aflaj “ancient irrigation system or water channels,” valleys, archaeological sites and different heritage.
It is located in the North of the Sultanate, bordered in the South by the Wilayat of Sohar and in the North by the Wilayat of Shinas.
The wilaya is famous for having an important historic landmark; Liwa Fort, which is located about one and a half kilometers from the center of the wilaya and it enjoys a geographical location by the sea.
Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Ghufaili, tourist guide in the Fort, said that the Fort was built more than 400 years ago and was used as a fortress for protection as well as the residence of the Wali, and a place to discuss and manage the wilaya’s affairs.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Heritage and Culture started restoration work in 2000 for the Fort and completed it in 2003.
He added that the Fort contains a high wall and 5 observation towers, in addition to a main entrance, locally known as “Al Sabah”.
The Wali, the judge and a group of sheikhs and dignitaries used to meet every morning in the Fort to discuss the wilaya’s affairs, resolve disputes and topics of interest to citizens of the wilaya.
Al Ghufaili referred to what is known as the “Kasbah,” which is the highest building in the Fort and consists of three floors, five rooms and two halls, in addition to a main entrance, locally called “Sabah” and two rooms, one for the well, its drilling and cleaning and the other for bathing. The Al Kasbah was used to housing the Wali and his family, in addition to its main task, because of its height, used for observation. There is a Majlis (guest room) known in the past as “Al Sablah”.
In addition, there are three wells scattered in the Fort at various sites, which were used in the past for many purposes, including cooking and irrigating plants in the Fort. The tourist guide of the Fort touched on the contents that were added to the Fort at the time of restoration, including the theater, which was built in a way inspired by the old theaters. It is currently used to host various national events.
The Fort is surrounded by houses and date-palm trees. The visitor can see from the towers of the Fort many villages in the Wilayat of Liwa, such as the coastal village of “Harmul” and the famous mangrove trees.
