Bibi Maryam's mausoleum
From outside.
Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — CC BY 2.0 · Francesco Bini — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Francesco Bini — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Francesco Bini — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Francesco Bini — CC BY-SA 4.0
Qalhat is a village on the coast of Oman, about 22 km northwest of Sur and 141 km southeast of Muscat in a straight line. The ruins of the ancient city lie southeast of today's village and were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018 as the «Ancient City of Qalhat». Marco Polo visited Qalhat in the 13th century, and Ibn Battuta in the 14th, describing its fine bazaars and a mosque he counted among the most beautiful, built by Bibi Maryam. It was an important stop in the Indian Ocean trade network and the second city of the Kingdom of Hormuz, and artefacts from Persia and China have been found here. Researchers suggest earthquakes on the Qalhat Fault helped cause its decline. The remains spread over more than 240,000 square metres between bare mountains and the sea, once ringed by fortified walls. Little survives: chiefly the square stone mausoleum of Bibi Maryam, now without its dome, along with old water cisterns cut into the ground and scattered wall ruins. Visitors stop at the site on the coastal road between Muscat and Sur, see the mausoleum from outside and walk among the ruins and cisterns. There is no shade, so visit in the morning during the cooler months.
From outside.
Cut into the ground.
Between mountain and sea.
Qalhat, Sur, Ash Sharqiyah South, Oman
Yes, from Sur or on the road from Muscat.
Mornings, October to March.