It is one of the Middle East's greatest wonders, a commanding fort embellished by unique architecture and a remarkable history, which was central to Oman regaining independence from the Portuguese. For more than 400 years, Al Mirani Fort has stood guard over Muscat.
But visitors were barred from entering this spectacular hilltop base until last April, when it was relaunched as a major tourist attraction. The fort is now open daily from 8am, with an entry fee of Dh95 for foreign visitors, as part of Oman’s push to attract tourists via cultural heritage sites.
I was among the first groups of tourists welcomed inside this structure, built in the 1500s on a small hill overlooking the Sea of Oman. To me, this ancient stone fort encapsulates the distinct appeal of Oman’s capital. Whereas nearby cities in the Gulf impress with uber-modern architecture, Muscat is comparatively traditional and humble.
Absent are clusters of skyscrapers. Instead, Muscat’s cityscape is generally low-rise, with few buildings exceeding twenty storeys. Many of its structures are white or cream coloured, which makes this city gleam in the fierce Arabian sun. Collectively they exhibit a pleasant melange of Arab, Persian, Indian, African and European design elements.
Adding to Muscat’s time-warp appearance are three historic, elevated military installations. Al Mirani, Al Jalali and Mutrah forts loom above the city. Each was built by the Portuguese, who ruled parts of Oman from the early 1500s to the mid-1600s.
Completing Muscat’s generous appeal is its splendid natural setting, wedged between dramatic mountain peaks and the shimmering Gulf of Oman. Along this waterfront is where the city’s most engaging areas lie.
About 16km east of downtown, Al Mirani fort stands in Old Muscat. The area it is a weathered trove of forts, palaces and museums, flanked by sections of the walls which once enclosed this settlement. The National Museum of Oman is here, explaining Muscat’s history and Al Mirani’s role in defending the city.
Visitors learn that Oman’s strategic location between Asia and Africa made Muscat an important centre for maritime trade a millennia ago. By the late 1400s, this prosperity was so great that Muscat needed to be protected, especially from the Spanish and Portuguese, who were conquering many lands worldwide.
So Oman safeguarded what is now Old Muscat by positioning a fort at either end of its bay. Nevertheless, swathes of Oman were seized in 1507 by the Portuguese, who later rebuilt the damaged Al Mirani fort and used it as a lookout. Omani history says this fort was crucial to these European invaders being banished in the mid-1600s.
According to a well-told story, a Portuguese leader became besotted with a Muscat woman, whose family did not want them to marry, so her father played a deadly trick. He convinced the Portuguese general that he was preparing Al Mirani fort to host their wedding. In reality, the father was stripping the fort of its weaponry, so that Oman’s Sultan bin Saif could ambush the Portuguese and take back control of the country.
Al Mirani fort continued as a military outpost until the 1900s, when it served as a prison, and then later as a private museum. Now it has been renovated so it is suitable for tourists, with additional exhibits, a cafe and a lift.
After I bought my ticket in the foyer, which houses a few basic displays, the lift took me up to the fort’s main floor. Peering through one of several gun holes in its earth-coloured walls, I enjoyed views across the Sultan’s Palace, adjacent Palace Beach and across to the sister fort of Al Jalali.
Positioned nearby were rusted cannons which once fired through those holes. More ancient weapons, including swords and Omani khanjar daggers, were displayed in some of the small, dimly-lit rooms I was free to explore.
Eventually I ascended to the fort's tallest tower, where other tourists were posing for photos in front of the panoramic backdrop. As simply a dramatic lookout point, Al Mirani is alluring. Add in its ancient appearance, upgraded facilities and absorbing history, and its tourism appeal is significant.
Already it has hosted live music, art workshops, Omani cultural shows, a handicraft market and the launch of Oman’s annual Tabseel harvest season. Some 375 years since it helped expel the Portuguese, Al Mirani now has a contrasting role, to attract and welcome foreign visitors.
