The towers
The tallest over 18 m.
Davide Mauro — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Davide Mauro — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY-SA 2.0 · larsz — CC BY-SA 2.0
Rustaq Fort is a huge stronghold on the slopes of the Green Mountain at the edge of the Batinah plain, among the largest and most complete in Oman. It looks over the palm groves of Rustaq and, with nearby Al Hazm Castle, has been put forward for UNESCO's tentative list. Sources say it was first built around 1250 on Persian ruins, and that the present structure dates to the first Ya'aruba imams between 1624 and 1649. That made Rustaq an important centre in Omani history. It is now one of the leading heritage sites to visit in this area. The fort spreads over several floors, with living quarters, an armoury, a mosque and a prison, and four towers, the tallest over 18 m high. It has its own irrigation system, visible in a water channel at the entrance. The walls give wide views over palms and mountains, while the inner rooms with their timber ceilings and carved doors hint at life here. It is 122 km in a straight line from Old Muscat, a day trip by car with Nakhal Fort and Al Hazm Castle, which is 18 km away. A hot spring lies nearby. It gets very hot in summer, so go in the morning and bring water. Friday hours are shorter, so check before setting out.
The tallest over 18 m.
Palms and mountains.
Part of the irrigation system.
Rustaq, South Al Batinah Governorate
Yes. It is 18 km away in a straight line, and Nakhal Fort completes a day trip.
The first Ya'aruba imams between 1624 and 1649, over an older structure.