Former capital Nizwa
Friday morning is rush hour in Nizwa. The first rays of the sun do their best to shine between the palm trees but do not yet win out over the dusk. Still, the market is already crowded. Cows, goats and sheep parade around as if it were a fashion show. Meanwhile, the owners haggle drily over the price. A golden-brown cow is in demand. Buyer and seller gesture busily with their hands but finally clasp them together. A traditional handshake leaves no doubt: sold! The cow in question still has to get used to the idea. With some hesitation, he gets into the cargo box with his new boss.
Ancient forts
The traditional cattle market is not the only reason to visit Nizwa. Because not only on the coast, there are also forts in the interior of Oman. The mountains behind the ancient capital of Nizwa seem impenetrable. Yet even in this city a fort was built in the seventeenth century. The round tower can be seen from afar and still exudes authority. A walk along the walls of the fort, gives visitors themselves a powerful feeling: the view breathtaking.
There are more forts in the vicinity of Nizwa. How these structures fared varies. The fort in Bahla is a World Heritage Site. Only the remains of this once stately structure still stand in Manah. The abandoned town is full of ruins, but the fortress proves that it was once worth protecting.
