Article:
ISSUE No.5 July - August 2007

Travel Tip Oman
Muscat – Gem of Arabia

The port city of Muscat is nestled in a natural cove on the eastern part of the Gulf of Oman and is surrounded by the Al-Hajar Mountain range. Muscat has been the official seat of the Omani government since 1808 and is still the financial and commercial center of the country. Muscat and its suburbs Mutrah, Ruwi, Qurm and Sidab are home to almost a third of the total population; approximately 880,200 people live there.

For the last several hundred years, the Strait of Hormuz made Muscat very attractive as an economic center for European conquerors. In the 16th century the Omani capitol city was occupied by the Portuguese. They demonstrated their power by immediately erecting a wall around the city and building fortresses on either side of the harbor. To this day, the two structures, Jalali and MIrani tower above the city and the former prison and garrison headquarters have become major tourist attractions.

The Portuguese conquerors tried to use the occupation to control the trade in the Persian Gulf. Members of the Yaruba dynasty were able to get rid of the occupiers in 1650, and that ended the 150 year occupation. This was the beginning of the rise of Muscat to one of the most important port cities of the eastern Arabian Peninsula. From 1779 until 1792, the capitol city was moved from Rustaq on the northern edge of the Al-Hajar Mountains to Muscat on the coast.

It was not until 1970, when Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur Al Said took power, that Oman and with it its capitol city Muscat were taken into modernity. The Sultan took control of the country from his father Sultan Said bin Taimur who had reigned over Oman from 1932 until 1970. Technical innovations like electricity, radio and TV were forbidden under the reign of the father. Even the city gates closed at dusk and weren’t reopened until the next morning. Passing though the 4 1/2 meter walls is no longer a problem, not even for large trucks. The gates were modernized and adapted to street traffic; even the old town followed into modernity. One third of that part of town was razed during modifications and one Hindu temple and the palace of the old Sultan fell victim to this process.

All signs of the bellicose conflicts and altercations of the last few centuries are gone. Visitors to Muscat experience the heart of Arabia, and its well balanced combinations of tradition and modernity are immediately obvious. Muscat captivates the visitors with its many small streets and alleys in the historic districts. The city is very picturesque with its white colonial style homes with balconies that are decorated with lush greenery and flowers.

The African, Asian and European influences are unmistakable and give Muscat its special character. Spacious parks, colorful markets and a long oceanfront promenade give this capitol city its charm. The many museums and restored forts allow a look back into history. The artistic talents of the people are visible on the many hand-carved doors and windows of the old houses. One should pay special attention to the ornate, intricately engraved silver daggers that are a trademark of Oman and its craftsmen. The traditional boats, witnesses to time and seafaring achievements, can still be admired today in the harbor. They allow a look into the art of classic shipbuilding and the ability of the Omani people.

Residents of large hectic cities from the neighboring countries come to Muscat for rest and relaxation. Strangers are welcomed with opened arms and can experience the incredible hospitality of the locals. Oman’s capitol city invites one to linger and is considered a well kept secret on the Arabian Peninsula. Many of the attractions are scattered throughout the city.

If you are into exotic underwater-worlds, the Oman Aquarium is the place for you. Here you can see what happens in the waters of the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

In the Al Bustan district you will find the Marine Science and Fisheries Center, a marine-biology science-lab of UNESCO, with its own turtle branch.

The visitor can get a view of the fauna and flora of the Sultanate of Oman in the Natural History Museum in Al Khuwair. Besides petrified trees and fossils, the museum offers a skeleton of a blue whale that washed ashore in 1986.

Mutrah is especially interesting. The lively harbor region is home to Fort Mutrah, a fort from the 17th century and the largest bazaar in Oman called the Mutrah Souk along with the Fish Market.

The Sultan Qaboos Mosque is definitely worth a visit. Opened in 2001, it sits on a 416,000 square meter site and offers room for 60,000 believers in the prayer room and another 14,000 in the outer areas. The mosque is famous for its 70x60 meter Persian carpet which adorns the floor of the prayer room. A Swarovski chandelier with 1,122 lights and a diameter of eight meters hangs in the dome of the mosque. Carrara marble gives the sidewalks and paths around the mosque a shimmer in the sunlight. The local tourist center will have information on the times the mosque can be visited by non-Muslims.

Another landmark of Muscat is the Al Alam Palace. The seat of the Sultan was built in only three years; it was designed by an Indian architect in the new oriental style and has been the official residence of the Sultan since its completion in 1974. A stroll through the government district is especially rewarding in the evening when the colorful palace is illuminated. The walkways are well lit.

The beaches of Muscat are very clean and shade-providing palm trees line the seaside promenades. Even on the city beaches you can see how many different types of sea life are present here. Local diving schools are not promising too much when their advertisements try to entice visitors with colorful experiences under water.

Oman and also Muscat are experiencing an economic upswing. Seeb International Airport in Muscat showed strong growth over the previous year; the number of passengers rose to 1.17 million. The growing popularity of Muscat is also benefiting the hotel industry. The hotels in the capitol city showed an increase of 46% more patrons over the previous year. This growth is being attributed to successful marketing which is targeting the European market. Attracted by theses statistics, the Kempinsky hotel chain announced earlier this year that they plan to open a luxury hotel in 2009. “The Wave, Muscat” promises, with 300 rooms, to offer the best possible luxuries to the growing tourist population. The project “The Wave, Muscat” is being constructed on an area of 2.5 square kilometers along the beach and will house several hotels, restaurants, shopping areas and an 18-hole golf course.

In the area of education Muscat has been noticed by a German university. The RWTH Aachen wants to help found the “Oman-German University of Technology”. Sultan Qaboos is a strong defender of the idea that the youths of his country should have excellent opportunities for higher education. The Aachen RWTH seems the perfect partner for this ambitious endeavor. The German university is 135 years old and is considered to be one of the most renowned institutes for higher education in Europe. It currently has 30,000 students, 5,500 are from overseas. The “Oman-German University of Technology” was dedicated in May of this year and will open its doors to Omani students on September 1. This teamwork is yet another proof of the fruitful German-Omani liaison in the cultural, political and economic areas.