Being Portuguese I must confess I was a bit disapointed not to have been able to visit this XVI th century Portuguese fort which played an important role in the past, despite the fact that I understand why one can only see it from the outside. As a Portuguese citizen I nevertheless owe the Omani rulers my utmost respect for having preserved it, togethet with the Al Mirani and the Mutrah forts.

As my wife and I were making our way exploring Muscat, we stopped to take in a breathtaking view of Old Muscat. The structure that drew our focus was the Al Jalali Fort which is adjacent to the harbor. This Fort, which dates back to the 1580s, was originally built by the Portuguese. Once the Omani’s were able to declare victory and ownership of the country, Al Jalali Fort was used as everything from a refuge, jail and prison. It is currently a private museum where the only visitors are foreign dignitaries. Though we were unable to visit the inside of the Fort, the outside is magnificent and offers a glimpse into the architectural history of Old Muscat.