Welcome to Muscat
Muscat has a character quite
different from neighboring capitals. There are few high-rise blocks and even
functional buildings are required to reflect tradition with a dome or an
arabesque window. The result is an attractive and whimsically uniform city not
much different in essence from the very elegant town with very fine houses that
the Portuguese admiral afonso de Albuquerque observed as he sailed towards
Muscat in the 16th Century.
Muscat means safe anchorage
and the sea continues to play a role in city life, sustaining the fishing
industry and providing opportunities for visitors to swim along sandy beaches
or dive with turtles in nearby lagoons. The opening of the Royal Opera House in
2011 and a fine new national museum in 2017 is other attractions that ensure
Muscat acts as a beacon for those who live in Oman’s interior and as a model of
calm in a region of conflict.
Grand Mosque
Quietly imposing from the
outside, this glorious piece of modem Islamic architecture was a gift to the
nation from Sultan Qaboos to mark his 30th year of reign. The main
prayer hall is breathtakingly rich. The Persian carpet alone measures 70m by
60m wide, making it the second-largest hand loomed Iranian carpet in the world;
it look 600 women four years to weave. The mosque, which can accommodate 20,000
worshipers, including 750 women in a private musalla (prayer hall), is an
active place of worship, particularly for Friday prayers visitors are required
to dress modestly, covering arms and legs and avoiding tight clothing.
Women and girls (aged seven
and above) must cover their hair. Abayas (full length dresses) and scarves can
be hired from the mosque cafe and gift shop for OR 2.5; some form of ID is
required as a despite.
Sultan Palace
If you stand by the harbor
wall on Mirant St, the building to the right with the delightful mushroom
pillars in blue and gold is the Sultan’s
Palace. On the inland side an avenue of palm trees leads to a roundabout
surrounded by grand royal court buildings and the new national museum. Although
the palace is closed to the public you can pause in front of the gates, at the
end of the colonnaded approach for a quintessential photograph. The palace was
built over the site of the former British Embassy where there used to be the
stump of a flagpole in the grounds: the story goes that any slave (Oman was
infamous for its slave trade from East Africa) who touched the flagpole was
granted freedom. The palace today is largely used for ceremonial purposes as
Sultan Qaboos favors a quieter, seaside residence near Seeb.
National Museum
Housed in an imposing new
building in the heart of Old Muscat, the national museum makes a fitting
consort for the Sultan’s Palace opposite. The emphasis of this contemporary
museum is on quality rather than quantity, with space, light and height used to
enhance the selective displays showcasing the heritage of Oman. Giant screens
and high-tech devices bring the artifacts alive.
Best
Places to stay in Muscat
Sleeping
- The Chedi
- Al Bustan Palace
- Beach Hotel
- Majan Continental Hotel
- Al Bustan Palace
- The Chedi
- Grand Hyatt Muscat
- Hotel InterContinental Muscat
- Marina Hotel
- Naseem Hotel
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