The square tower
Rising above the walls.
Vilphy Pulickan from Sohar, Oman — CC BY 2.0 · Peter in s — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Peter in s — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Peter in s — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Peter in s — CC BY-SA 4.0
Sohar Fort is a large stronghold on the seafront of Sohar in North Al Batinah Governorate, one of the area's most important forts thanks to its position and its role over the centuries. A square main tower rises above its walls, and today it houses a museum of the city's heritage. Its director dates the fort to the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Sohar was among the region's major towns, a centre of the copper trade with historical ties to the Chinese port of Canton, links that the museum brings out. A drawing of Sohar's Portuguese-era fortress appears in a 17th-century book of fortresses. You walk around a broad yard and crenellated walls, then enter the tower with its timber ceilings and barred windows. The museum shows objects from excavations inside the fort and at other sites in Oman, and exposed remains of old walls stand out on the way round. From above you look over the sea and city. It is 4.6 km in a straight line from central Sohar and makes a good stop between Muscat and northern Oman or the UAE. Allow about an hour. An open area with palms stands in front of the fort, a pleasant place to pause afterwards. It is humid by the sea in summer, so choose the cooler months or early in the day.
Rising above the walls.
The copper trade and Canton links.
Inside the main tower.
Seafront, Sohar city, North Al Batinah
Finds from the fort and other digs, and the story of the copper trade and Sohar's Canton links.
It works best as a stop on the way to northern Oman or the UAE.